Broadcast receiver

ABSTRACT

A broadcast receiver is configured to receive a broadcast wave of a digital broadcast service; separate at least a video image related to a broadcast program, electronic program guide information, and application-related information from the received broadcast wave; reproduce the video image related to the broadcast program; form an electronic program guide screen based on the electronic program guide information; acquire an application based on location information by referring to the application-related information; execute the application and outputs an application execution video image; and display the video image related to the broadcast program, the electronic program guide screen, or the application execution video image. The electronic program guide screen indicates information relating to applications to be executed in cooperation with the broadcast program.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Phase of PCT/JP2014/079990 filedNov. 12, 2016, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No.2013-234540 filed Nov. 13, 2013, and Japanese Patent Application No.2013-234541 filed Nov. 13, 2013. The subject matter of each isincorporated herein by reference in entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a broadcast receiver.

BACKGROUND ART

One of extension functions for a digital broadcast service is a databroadcast in which digital data is transmitted by a broadcast wave andvarious information such as a weather forecast, news, recommendedprograms, and the like are displayed. A large number of televisionreceiver capable of receiving data broadcast are commercially available,and many techniques relating to receiving data broadcast including thefollowing Patent Document 1 have also been published.

RELATED ART DOCUMENTS Patent Documents

-   Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.    2001-186486

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

Characteristics of data broadcast include that a television receivercapable of receiving a digital broadcast service can receive a databroadcast as a single unit and acquire/display various pieces ofinformation. Meanwhile, since data broadcast has limited amount of datathat can be transmitted because of limitation of an electric wave band,it is difficult to obtain a high-definition screen display and highlyfunctional effects, and for this reason, there is a problem that it isdifficult to execute useful functions having high added values inexisting digital broadcast receivers.

The object of the present invention is to provide a digital broadcastreceiver capable of executing functions having higher added values.

Means for Solving the Problems

As means for solving the above-mentioned problems, techniques disclosedin claims are used.

By way of example, a broadcast receiver capable of receiving a digitalbroadcast service that is capable of executing an application incooperation with a broadcast program, includes: a broadcast receivingunit which receives a broadcast wave of the digital broadcast service; aseparation unit which separates at least a video image related to thebroadcast program, electronic program guide information, andapplication-related information from the received broadcast wave; abroadcast video image reproduction unit which reproduces the video imagerelated to the broadcast program; an electronic program guide formationunit which forms an electronic program guide screen based on theelectronic program guide information; an application acquiring unitwhich acquires a predetermined application based on location informationacquired by referring to the application-related information; anapplication execution unit which executes the acquired predeterminedapplication and outputs an application execution video image; and adisplay unit capable of displaying the video image related to thebroadcast program, the electronic program guide screen, or theapplication execution video image, and the electronic program guideformation unit forms the electronic program guide screen that indicatesinformation relating to applications capable of being executed incooperation with the broadcast program about the broadcast program ofthe digital broadcast service, and such broadcast receiver is used.

Effects of the Invention

By using the technique of the present invention, it is possible toprovide a digital broadcast receiver capable of executing functionshaving higher added values.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a communicationsystem in accordance with a first embodiment;

FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing a broadcast receiver in accordancewith the first embodiment;

FIG. 2B is a diagram showing software configurations in the broadcastreceiver in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a broadcast station server inaccordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a service provider server inaccordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 5A is a block diagram showing a portable information terminal inaccordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 5B is a diagram showing a software configuration of the portableinformation terminal in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a data configuration of application controlinformation in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 7A is a diagram showing an operation sequence at the time ofactivation of an application in the broadcast receiver in accordancewith the first embodiment;

FIG. 7B is a diagram showing an operation sequence at the time ofactivation of an application in the broadcast receiver in accordancewith the first embodiment;

FIG. 7C is a diagram showing an operation sequence at the time ofactivation of an application in the broadcast receiver in accordancewith the first embodiment;

FIG. 8A is a diagram showing an operation sequence when the portableinformation terminal of the first embodiment is cooperatively used;

FIG. 8B is a diagram showing an operation sequence when the portableinformation terminal of the first embodiment is cooperatively used;

FIG. 8C is a diagram showing an operation sequence when the portableinformation terminal of the first embodiment is cooperatively used;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an operation sequence at the time ofactivation of an application in the broadcast receiver and the portableinformation terminal in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 10A is a screen display view showing a basic screen of acooperation control application in the portable information terminal inaccordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 10B is a screen display view showing the basic screen of thecooperation control application in the portable information terminal inaccordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a screen display view showing a data broadcast screen in thebroadcast receiver in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 12A is a screen display view showing a notification screen in thebroadcast receiver in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 12B is a screen display view showing a broadcast cooperationapplication launcher in the broadcast receiver in accordance with thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 13A is a screen display view showing a broadcast cooperationapplication executing screen in the broadcast receiver in accordancewith the first embodiment;

FIG. 13B is a screen display view showing the broadcast cooperationapplication executing screen in the broadcast receiver in accordancewith the first embodiment;

FIG. 13C is a screen display view showing the broadcast cooperationapplication executing screen in the broadcast receiver in accordancewith the first embodiment;

FIG. 13D is a screen display view showing the broadcast cooperationapplication executing screen in the broadcast receiver in accordancewith the first embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a screen display view showing an error display screen in thebroadcast receiver in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a screen display view showing a broadcast cooperationapplication executing screen of the portable information terminal inaccordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 16A is a screen display view showing an EPG display screen in thebroadcast receiver in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 16B is a view showing detailed information of the EPG displayscreen in the broadcast receiver in accordance with the firstembodiment;

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an operation sequence at the time ofacquiring the broadcast cooperation application in the broadcastreceiver in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 18A is a diagram showing an operation sequence at the time ofcooperation with a terminal in accordance with a second embodiment;

FIG. 18B is a diagram showing an operation sequence at the time ofcooperation with a terminal in accordance with a third embodiment;

FIG. 18C is a diagram showing an operation sequence at the time ofcooperation with a terminal in accordance with a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 18D is a diagram showing an operation sequence at the time ofcooperation with the terminal in accordance with the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 19A is a screen display view showing a broadcast cooperationapplication launcher in a broadcast receiver in accordance with a fifthembodiment;

FIG. 19B is a screen display view showing the broadcast cooperationapplication launcher in the broadcast receiver in accordance with thefifth embodiment;

FIG. 19C is a screen display view showing the broadcast cooperationapplication launcher in the broadcast receiver in accordance with thefifth embodiment;

FIG. 19D is a screen display view showing the broadcast cooperationapplication launcher in the broadcast receiver in accordance with thefifth embodiment;

FIG. 19E is a screen display view showing a broadcast receiver inaccordance with the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 19F is a screen display view showing a broadcast cooperationapplication launcher in a portable information terminal in accordancewith the fifth embodiment;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, example embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

First, one example of a digital broadcast service that can be receivedby a broadcast receiver of the present embodiment will be described.

In one example of a BS/terrestrial digital broadcast that can bereceived by the broadcast receiver of the present embodiment, aplurality of transport streams (Transport Stream: TS) can be multiplexedon one transponder (frequency channel) and transmitted. The TS is acontinuous TS packet having a predetermined length formed by dividing adata row such as video/audio elementary stream (Elementary Stream: ES),or program specific information (Program Specific Information:PSI)/service information (Service Information: SI), to which a TS headeris added.

The PSI is a specific information table for identifying to which programeach ES contained in the TS belongs and which is prescribed by MPEG(Moving Picture Experts Group)-2 System standard. The PSI is constitutedby a PAT (Program Association Table), a PMT (Program Map Table), a CAT(Conditional Access Table), or the like. The PAT prescribes a list ofprograms included in the TS by a PID (Packet Identifier) of the PMT. ThePMT prescribes a PID of the constituent element of each program, or thelike. The CAT includes information relating to a limited receivingprocess.

Moreover, the SI is data formed by expanding the PSI and to whichprogram information or the like is added, and the SI is provided withinformation relating to an electronic program guide (Electronic ProgramGuide: EPG) prescribed by Association of Wireless Industries andBusinesses (Association of Wireless Industries and Businesses: ARIB)using the ARIB STD-B10. The SI is constituted by a BIT (BroadcasterInformation Table), an SDT (Service Description Table), an EIT (EventInformation Table), a TOT (Time Offset Table), or the like. The BITincludes broadcast station identifying information, group information,SI transmission information of a broadcast station, and the like. TheSDT includes information such as a network ID for identifying a network,a TS ID for identifying a TS, a service ID (so-called channel number)for identifying individual services (so-called channel) within anetwork, or the like. The EIT includes a service ID for identifyingindividual services within the network, and information relating toevents such as names, broadcast date and time, broadcast content of eachevent (so-called program), or the like. The TOT includes informationrelating to the current date and time.

Moreover, the TS includes PCR (Program Clock Reference) informationforming the standard of a reproduction timing in a decoder, a BMLdocument that is sub-set based on a BML (Broadcast Markup Language)specification prescribed by ARIB STD-B24, or the like.

In the broadcast receiver of the present embodiment, the TS constitutedby the video/audio ES, various information, and the like, are receivedand decoded, so that a broadcast program, a data broadcast screenproduced by using the EPG and BML, or the like can be provided to theuser.

Moreover, the broadcast receiver of the present embodiment can utilize abroadcast communication cooperation system in which acquisition of addedcontent through a broadband network, a computing process in a serverdevice, a presentation process in cooperation with a portable terminaldevice, and the like are combined with the digital broadcast service, bymaking a digital broadcast service cooperate with a function ofutilizing a broadband network. In order to achieve the above-mentionedbroadcast communication cooperation system, it is assumed that thebroadcast receiver of the present embodiment can execute an applicationdescribed in HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) or the like. Moreover, inthe broadcast communication cooperation system to which the presentbroadcast receiver is applied, extended PSI/SI information required whenapplication control information (Application Information Table: AIT) andan application in the extended BML specification and the broadcastcommunication cooperation system are transmitted by a broadcast wave isused. Note that the AIT corresponds to information for providing ornotifying various information such as an acquisition source of theapplication, required for activating the application, and controlinformation for controlling the activation/end or the like of anapplication.

The above description is based on the digital broadcast service inJapan; however, the broadcast receiver of the present embodimentincluding a broadcast communication cooperation system utilized by thebroadcast receiver of the present embodiment is not intended to alimited application only in Japan.

Next, a detailed configuration example of the present embodiment will bedescribed.

[System Configuration]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration as one example of acommunication system of the present embodiment for achieving a broadcastcommunication cooperation system. The communication system of thepresent embodiment is constituted by a broadcast receiver 100 and anantenna 100 a, a broadband network such as the Internet 200 and a routerdevice 210, a wireless wave tower 300 t of a broadcast station, abroadcast station server 300, a service provider server 400, otherapplication servers 500, a mobile telephone communication server 600 anda base station 600 b of a mobile telephone communication network, and aportable information terminal 700.

The broadcast receiver 100 is a television receiver having a function ofutilizing the above-mentioned broadcast communication cooperation systemin addition to an existing digital broadcast receiving function. Thebroadcast receiver 100 receives a broadcast wave transmitted from thewireless wave tower 300 t via the antenna 100 a. Moreover, the broadcastreceiver 100 can be connected to the Internet 200 via the router device210 and can transmit and receive data via communication with respectiveserver devices on the Internet 200.

The router device 210 is connected to the Internet 200 via wirelesscommunication or wire communication, also connected to the broadcastreceiver 100 by wireless communication or wire communication, andfurther connected to the portable information terminal 700 by wirelesscommunication. Thus, among the respective server devices on the Internet200, the broadcast receiver 100, and the portable information terminal700 can mutually transmit and receive data via the router device 210.Note that the communication between the broadcast receiver 100 and theportable information terminal 700 may be directly carried out through amethod such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), NFC (Near FieldCommunication), or the like, without the router device 210.

The wireless wave tower 300 t transmits a broadcast wave including adigital broadcast signal, AIT, control information relating toapplication presentation, and the like from a broadcast facility of abroadcast station. Note that the control information relating to theapplication presentation is control information relating to overlappingbetween the broadcast program and application on a television receiverand whether or not the application can be presented. Moreover, it isassumed that the broadcast station is provided with a broadcast stationserver 300. It is assumed that the broadcast server 300 stores broadcastprograms (moving image content or the like) and metadata such as programtitles, program ID's, the outlines, performers, and broadcast date andtime of the respective broadcast programs and can provide the movingimage content and each metadata to the service providers based on thecontract. Note that the moving image content and the respective metadatamay be provided to the service providers through an API (ApplicationProgramming Interface) provided in the broadcast station server 300.

The service provider server 400 is a server device prepared forproviding services through use of the broadcast communicationcooperation system by the service provider. The service provider server400 carries out storing, managing, and delivering processes or the likeon moving image content and metadata provided by the broadcast stationserver 300 and content and applications produced for the broadcastcommunication cooperation system. Moreover, the service provider server400 also has functions of searching an application that can be providedand providing a list thereof in response to an inquiry from thetelevision receiver. Note that storing, managing, and deliveringprocesses of the moving image content and metadata, and storing,managing, and delivering processes of the applications may be carriedout by different server devices. The above-mentioned broadcast stationand service provider may be the same, or may be different providers. Aplurality of service provider servers 400 may be prepared for eachdifferent service. Moreover, the functions of the service providerserver 400 may be also possessed by the broadcast station server 300.

Another application server 500 is a known server device that carries outstoring, managing, and delivering processes or the like on generalapplications, operation programs, content, and data other than thoserelating to the above-mentioned communication cooperation system.

The mobile telephone communication server 600 is connected to theInternet 200 and meanwhile, connected to the portable informationterminal 700 via the base station 600 b. The mobile telephonecommunication server 600 manages telephone communications (calls) anddata transmission and reception of the portable information terminal 700via the mobile telephone communication network and makes it possible totransmit and receive data via communications between the portableinformation terminal 700 and the respective server devices on theInternet 200. Note that the communications between the portableinformation terminal 700 and the broadcast receiver 100 may be carriedout via the base station 600 b and the mobile telephone communicationserver 600, as well as the Internet 200 and the router device 210.

[Hardware Configuration of Broadcast Receiver]

FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing one example of the internalconfiguration of the broadcast receiver 100. The broadcast receiver 100is constituted by a main control unit 101, a system bus 102, a ROM 103,a RAM 104, a storage unit 110, a LAN communication unit 121, anextension interface unit 124, a digital interface unit 125, atuner/demodulation unit 131, a first separation unit 132, a first videoimage decoding unit 133, a first audio decoding unit 134, a firstsubtitle decoding unit 135, a data broadcast receiving and processingunit 141, a data broadcast engine 142, a streaming receiving andprocessing unit 151, a second separation unit 152, a second video imagedecoding unit 153, a second audio decoding unit 154, a second subtitledecoding unit 155, an application control unit 161, an applicationengine 162, a video image superimposing unit 171, an audio selectionunit 172, a video image display unit 173, a speaker 174, a video imageoutput unit 175, an audio output unit 176, a presentationsynchronization control unit 181, and a terminal cooperation controlunit 191.

The main control unit 101 is a microprocessor unit for controlling theentire broadcast receiver 100 in accordance with a predeterminedoperation program. The system bus 102 is a data communication path fortransmitting and receiving data between the main control unit 101 andthe respective operation blocks in the broadcast receiver 100.

The ROM (Read Only Memory) 103 is a memory in which basic operationprograms such as an operating system, and other operation programs arestored, and uses a rewritable ROM such as an EEPROM (ElectricallyErasable Programmable ROM) or a flash ROM, for example. The RAM (RandomAccess Memory) 104 serves as a work area at the time of executing thebasic operation programs or other operation programs. The ROM 103 andRAM 104 may be integrally formed with the main control unit 101.Moreover, the ROM 103 may not have an independent configuration shown inFIG. 2A but may use a part of a storage region in the storage unit 110.

The storage unit 110 stores operation programs and operation set valuesof the broadcast receiver 100 and personal information or the like ofusers of the broadcast receiver 100. Moreover, the storage unit 110 canstore operation programs downloaded from the network and various kindsof data and the like formed by those operation programs. Furthermore,the storage unit 110 can store content such as moving images, stillimages, audio, or the like, acquired from a broadcast wave, ordownloaded from the network. The entire or a part of the functions ofthe ROM 103 may be replaced by a part of the region of the storage unit110. Moreover, the storage unit 110 needs to hold stored informationeven in a state where no power is supplied from the outside to thebroadcast receiver 100. Accordingly, a device, for example, asemiconductor memory device such as a flash ROM or an SSD (Solid StateDrive), or a magnetic disc drive such as an HDD (Hard Disc Drive), isused.

Note that the respective operation programs stored in the ROM 103 andthe storage unit 110 can be updated or extended in their functions bydownloading from the respective server devices on the Internet 200.

The LAN (Local Area Network) communication unit 121 is connected to theInternet 200 via the router device 210 to transmit and receive data toand from the respective server devices on the Internet 200. Theconnection with the router device 210 may be made in a wire connectionor a wireless connection such as a Wi-Fi (registered trademark). It isassumed that the LAN communication unit 121 is provided with an encodingcircuit, a decoding circuit, or the like. Moreover, the broadcastreceiver 100 may be further provided with another communication unitsuch as a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication unit, an NFCcommunication unit, or an infrared ray communication unit.

The tuner/demodulation unit 131 receives a broadcast wave from thewireless wave tower 300 t via the antenna 100 a and tunes (performschannel selection) to a channel for a service desired by the user basedon control of the main control unit 101. Moreover, thetuner/demodulation unit 131 demodulates the received broadcast signal toacquire a TS. Note that, in the example shown in FIG. 2A, although aconfiguration with the single tuner/demodulation unit is exemplified,the broadcast receiver 100 may have a configuration in which a pluralityof tuner/demodulation units are installed for the purpose of achievingsimultaneous display of a plurality of screens, a recording of a programon a different channel, or the like. Moreover, based on the control ofthe main control unit 101, a control for limited accesses to thedemodulated TS or the like may be carried out.

The first separation unit 132 to which the TS outputted from thetuner/demodulation unit 131 is inputted separates the data intorespective data rows such as a video image data row, an audio data row,a subtitle data row, a program information data row, an AIT data row, ora BML data row to output the resulting data rows. These data rows may beprepared as an ES format, for example. The first video image decodingunit 133 decodes the video image data row inputted from the firstseparation unit 132 and outputs video image information. The first audiodecoding unit 134 decodes the audio data row inputted from the firstseparation unit 132 and outputs audio information. The first subtitledecoding unit 135 decodes the subtitle data row inputted from the firstseparation unit 132 to output subtitle information.

The data broadcast receiving and processing unit 141 decodes the BMLdata row inputted from the first separation unit 132 to reproduce a BMLdocument. The data broadcast engine 142 is a BML browser for executing aBML document and executes the BML document reproduced by the databroadcast receiving and processing unit 141 to output data broadcastscreen information.

Based on control of the main control unit 101, the streaming receivingand processing unit 151 accesses moving image content or the like placedon the respective server devices on the Internet 200 via the LANcommunication unit 121 to acquire a program stream (Program Stream: PS)such as the above-mentioned moving image content. Moreover, based on thecontrol of the main control unit 101, control or the like of a DRM(Digital Rights Management) processing for the acquired PS may becarried out.

The second separation unit 152 to which the PS outputted from thestreaming receiving and processing unit 151 is inputted separates thedata into respective data rows such as a video image data row, an audiodata row, or a subtitle data row to output the resulting data rows.These data rows may be prepared as an ES format, for example. Since asecond video image decoding unit 153, a second audio decoding unit 154,and a second subtitle decoding unit 155 carry out the same processes asthose of the first video image decoding unit 133, the first audiodecoding unit 134, and the first subtitle decoding unit 135,respectively, the descriptions thereof will be omitted.

Note that the first separation unit 132 and the second separation unit152, the first video image decoding unit 133 and the second video imagedecoding unit 153, the first audio decoding unit 134 and the secondaudio decoding unit 154, and the first subtitle decoding unit 135 andthe second subtitle decoding unit 155 may be compatibly used,respectively.

Based on the AIT data row inputted from the first separation unit or anAIT file acquired from the respective server devices on the Internet200, the application control unit 161 works on the application engine162 with reference to an application produced for the broadcastcommunication cooperation system to carry out controlling and managingprocesses on a life cycle and an event on an application unit basis.Moreover, depending on the state of the application and the instructionof the AIT, the application control unit 161 appropriately carries out acontrol for the limitation of functions of the application. Theapplication engine 162 is an HTML browser that acquires an applicationproduced for the broadcast communication cooperation system to executethe application based on the control of the application control unit161.

The video image superimposing unit 171 to which video image informationoutputted from the first video image decoding unit 133, subtitleinformation outputted from the first subtitle decoding unit 135, databroadcast screen information outputted from the data broadcast engine142, video image information outputted from the second video imagedecoding unit 153, subtitle information outputted from the secondsubtitle decoding unit 155, and application execution screen informationoutputted from the application engine 162 are inputted carries outselection and/or superimposing process or the like. The video imagesuperimposing unit 171 is provided with a video RAM omitted in thedrawing, and based on video image information inputted to the video RAM,the video image display unit 173 or the like is driven. Moreover, basedon control of the main control unit 101, the video image superimposingunit 171 carries out a scaling process, a superimposing process on EPGscreen information formed based on the program information data rowoutputted from the first separation unit 132, or the like, if necessary.

The audio selection unit 172 to which the audio information outputtedfrom the first audio decoding unit 134, the audio information outputtedfrom the second audio decoding unit 154, and the application executionaudio information outputted from the application engine 162 are inputtedselects the audio information appropriately depending on control of themain control unit 101 to output the resulting data.

The video image display unit 173 is a display device such as a liquidcrystal panel, for example, and provides video image informationsubjected to the selection and/or superimposing process in the videoimage superimposing unit 171 to the user of the broadcast receiver 100.The speaker 174 provides audio information outputted from the audioselection unit 172 to the user of the broadcast receiver 100. The videoimage output unit 175 is a video image output interface for outputtingvideo image information subjected to the selection and/or superimposingprocess in the video image superimposing unit 171. The audio output unit176 is an audio output interface for outputting audio informationoutputted from the audio selection unit 172. Note that, in a case inwhich the broadcast receiver 100 is a television receiver or the like asdescribed above, the video image output unit 175 and the audio outputunit 176 are not essential elements to the present invention.

The presentation synchronization control unit 181 carries out a controlof presentation synchronization of the video image information, audioinformation, or the like obtained by decoding the TS acquired from abroadcast wave, video image information, audio information, or the likeobtained by decoding the PS acquired from the respective server deviceson the Internet 200, the application execution screen information, andapplication execution audio information outputted from the applicationengine 162, on the video image display unit 173 and the speaker 174, oron the video image output unit 175 and audio output unit 176, based on,for example, PCR information or the like.

Upon carrying out the cooperation with an external portable terminaldevice, the terminal cooperation control unit 191 carries out managementand control such as the finding of a cooperation device (portableterminal device) and authentication thereof, connection between thebroadcast receiver 100 and the cooperation device, the cooperation withthe application, or the like.

The extension interface unit 124 is a group of interfaces for extendingthe functions of the broadcast receiver 100 and in the presentembodiment, is constituted by an analog video image/audio interface, aUSB (Universal Serial Bus) interface, a memory interface, and the like.The analog video image/audio interface carries out an input of an analogvideo image signal/audio signal from an external video image/audiooutput device, an output of the analog video image signal/audio signalto an external video image/audio input device, or the like. The USBinterface is connected to a PC or the like to transmit and receive data.The USB may be connected to an HDD to record a broadcast program andcontent thereof. Moreover, the USB may be connected to a keyboard oranother USB device. The memory interface is connected to a memory cardor another memory medium to transmit and receive data.

The digital interface unit 125 is an interface through which encodeddigital video image data and/or digital audio data is outputted orinputted. It is assumed that the digital interface unit 125 is supposedto be capable of outputting the TS acquired by the tuner/demodulationunit 131 and the PS acquired by the streaming receiving and processingunit 151 as they are. Moreover, the TS and PS inputted from the digitalinterface unit 125 may be controlled to be inputted to the firstseparation unit 132 and the second separation unit 152. Outputtingdigital content stored in the storage unit 110 or storing digitalcontent to the storage unit 110 may be carried out via the digitalinterface unit 125. The digital interface unit 125 may be a DVIterminal, an HDMI (registered trademark) terminal, or the like, and theoutput or input of data thereto or therefrom may be carried out by aformat compatible with the DVI specification, HDMI specification, or thelike. The input or output may be carried out by using a serial dataformat in compliance with the IEEE1394 specification or the like.

In addition to the television receiver, the broadcast receiver 100 maybe an optical disc drive recorder such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)recorder, a magnetic disc drive recorder such as an HDD recorder, or anSTB (Set Top Box). A PC (Personal Computer), a tablet terminal, a gamemachine, or the like, provided with a digital broadcast receivingfunction and a broadcast communication cooperation function, may also beused. In a case in which the broadcast receiver 100 is the DVD recorder,the HDD recorder, the STB, or the like, the video image display unit 173and the speaker 174 need not be installed. By connecting an externalmonitor and an external speaker to the video image output unit 175 andthe audio output unit 176, the same operations as those of the broadcastreceiver 100 of the present embodiment can be carried out.

[Software Configuration of Broadcast Receiver]

FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing software configurations in thebroadcast receiver 100 of the present embodiment, showing softwareconfigurations in the ROM 103, the RAM 104, and the storage unit 110. Inthe present embodiment, a basic operation program 1001 and otheroperation programs are stored in the ROM 103, and a receiving functionprogram 1002, a BML browser program 1003, an HTML browser program 1004,and other operation programs are stored in the storage unit 110.Moreover, the storage unit 110 is provided with a content storage region1011 for storing content such as moving images, still images, or audio,an authentication information storage region 1012 for storingauthentication information or the like to be used upon cooperation orthe like with an external portable terminal device, and variousinformation storage regions for storing other various information.

The basic operation program 1001 stored in the ROM 103 is developed onthe RAM 104, and further, the main control unit 101 executes thedeveloped basic operation program, thereby constituting a basicoperation execution unit 1101. Moreover, the receiving function program1002, the BML browser program 1003, and the HTML browser program 1004which are stored in the storage unit 110, are each developed on the RAM104, and further, the main control unit 101 executes the respectivedeveloped operation programs, thereby constituting a receiving functionexecution unit 1102, a BML browser engine 1103, and an HTML browserengine 1104, respectively. Furthermore, the RAM 104 is provided with atemporary storage region for temporarily storing data formed at the timeof executing the respective operation programs, if necessary.

Note that, in the following, for simplicity of description, a process inwhich the main control unit 101 controls each of operation blocks bydeveloping the basic operation program 1001 stored in the ROM 103 on theRAM 104 and executing the developed program is described on theassumption that the basic operation execution unit 1101 controls each ofoperation blocks. With respect to other operation programs, the samedescription will be given.

The receiving function execution unit 1102 controls each of theoperation blocks in the broadcast receiver 100 to achieve a broadcastreceiving function and a broadcast communication cooperation function.In particular, a broadcast program reproduction unit 1102 a mainlycontrols the tuner/demodulation unit 131, the first separation unit 132,the first video image decoding unit 133, the first audio decoding unit134, the first subtitle decoding unit 135, the data broadcast receivingand processing unit 141, and the data broadcast engine 142. Note thatthe data broadcast engine 142 may be replaced by the BML browser engine1103 developed on the RAM 104. Moreover, a communication contentreproduction unit 1102 b mainly controls the streaming receiving andprocessing unit 151, the second separation unit 152, the second videoimage decoding unit 153, the second audio decoding unit 154, and thesecond subtitle decoding unit 155. A cooperation application controlunit 1102 c mainly controls the application control unit 161 and theapplication engine 162. Note that the application engine 162 may bereplaced by the HTML browser engine 1104 developed on the RAM 104. Aterminal cooperation managing unit 1102 d mainly controls the terminalcooperation control unit 191.

The above-mentioned respective operation programs may be preliminarilystored in the ROM 103 and/or the storage unit 110 at the time ofshipment of the product. These respective operation programs may beacquired from another application server 500 or the like on the Internet200 via the LAN communication unit 121 after the shipment. Moreover, theabove-mentioned operation programs stored in a memory card, an opticaldisc or the like may be acquired via the extension interface unit 124 orthe like.

[Configuration of Broadcast Station Server]

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing one example of an internalconfiguration of the broadcast station server 300. The broadcast stationserver 300 is constituted by a main control unit 301, a system bus 302,a RAM 304, a storage unit 310, and a LAN communication unit 321.

The main control unit 301 is a microprocessor unit for controlling theentire broadcast station server 300 in accordance with a predeterminedoperation program. The system bus 302 is a data communication path fortransmitting and receiving data between the main control unit 301 andthe respective operation blocks inside the broadcast station server 300.The RAM 304 forms a work area at the time of execution of the respectiveoperation programs.

The storage unit 310 stores a basic operation program 3001 and a contentmanaging/delivering program 3002 and is further provided with a movingimage content storage region 3011 and a metadata storage region 3012.The moving image content storage region 3011 stores moving image contentor the like of respective broadcast programs to be broadcast by thebroadcast station. The metadata storage region 3012 stores metadata suchas program titles, program ID's, outlines of the programs, performers,broadcasting date and time, or the like of the respective broadcastprograms.

Moreover, the basic operation program 3001 and the contentmanaging/delivering program 3002 which are stored in the storage unit310 are respectively developed on the RAM 304, and further, the maincontrol unit 301 executes the developed basic operation program andcontent managing/delivering program, thereby constituting a basicoperation execution unit 3101 and a content managing/deliveringexecution unit 3102.

Note that, in the following, for simplicity of description, a process inwhich in which the main control unit 301 controls each of operationblocks by developing the basic operation program 3001 stored in thestorage unit 310 on the RAM 304 and executing the developed program isdescribed on the assumption that the basic operation execution unit 3101controls each of operation blocks. With respect to other operationprograms, the same description will be given.

The content managing/delivering execution unit 3102 manages moving imagecontent and the like and respective metadata stored in the moving imagecontent storage region 3011 and the metadata storage region 3012, andcontrols at the time of providing the moving image content and the likeand the respective metadata to the service provider based on thecontract. Furthermore, upon providing the moving image content and thelike and the respective metadata to the service provider, the contentmanaging/delivering execution unit 3102 also carries out anauthentication process or the like of the service provider server 400based on the contract, if necessary.

The LAN communication unit 321 is connected to the Internet 200 andcommunicates with the service provider server 400 or the like on theInternet 200. It is assumed that the LAN communication unit 321 isprovided with an encoding circuit, a decoding circuit, and the like.

[Configuration of Service Provider Server]

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing one example of an internalconfiguration of the service provider server 400. The service providerserver 400 is constituted by a main control unit 401, a system bus 402,a RAM 404, a storage unit 410, and a LAN communication unit 421.

The main control unit 401 is a microprocessor unit for controlling theentire service provider server 400 in accordance with a predeterminedoperation program. The system bus 402 is a data communication path fortransmitting and receiving data between the main control unit 401 andthe respective operation blocks in the service provider server 400. TheRAM 404 forms a work area at the time of execution of the respectiveoperation programs.

The storage unit 410 stores a basic operation program 4001, a contentmanaging/delivering program 4002, and an applicationmanaging/distributing program 4003 and is further provided with a movingimage content storage region 4011, a metadata storage region 4012, andan application storage region 4013. The moving image content storageregion 4011 and the metadata storage region 4012 store moving imagecontent and the like and respective meta data provided by the broadcaststation server 300, as well as content produced by the service providerand metadata or the like relating to the content. The applicationstorage region 4013 stores applications required for achievingrespective services of the broadcast communication cooperation system tobe distributed in response to a request from each of the televisionreceivers.

Moreover, the basic operation program 4001, the contentmanaging/delivering program 4002 and the applicationmanaging/distributing program 4003, stored in the storage unit 410, arerespectively developed on the RAM 404, and further, the main controlunit 401 executes the developed basic operation program, contentmanaging/delivering program, and application managing/distributingprogram, thereby constituting a basic operation execution unit 4101, acontent managing/delivering execution unit 4102, and an applicationmanaging/distributing execution unit 4103.

Note that, in the following, for simplicity of description, a process inwhich in which the main control unit 401 controls each of operationblocks by developing the basic operation program 4001 stored in thestorage unit 410 on the RAM 404 and executing the developed program isdescribed on the assumption that the basic operation execution unit 4101controls each of operation blocks. With respect to other operationprograms, the same description will be given.

The content managing/delivering execution unit 4102 acquires movingimage content and the like and respective metadata from the broadcaststation server 300, manages moving image content and the like andrespective metadata stored in the moving image content storage region4011 and the metadata storage region 4012, and controls the delivery ofthe moving image content and the like and respective metadata to therespective television receivers. Moreover, the applicationmanaging/distributing execution unit 4103 manages the respectiveapplications stored in the application storage region 4013 and controlsat the time of distributing the respective applications in response to arequest from each of the television receivers. Further, upondistributing the respective applications to each of the televisionreceivers, the application managing/distributing execution unit 4103also carries out an authentication process or the like on the respectivetelevision receivers, if necessary.

The LAN communication unit 421 is connected to the Internet 200 andcommunicates with the broadcast station server 300 on the Internet 200as well as with the broadcast receiver 100 and the portable informationterminal 700 via the router 210. It is assumed that the LANcommunication unit 421 is provided with an encoding circuit, a decodingcircuit, and the like.

[Hardware Configuration of Portable Information Terminal]

FIG. 5A is a block diagram showing one example of the internalconfiguration of the portable information terminal 700. The portableinformation terminal 700 is constituted by a main control unit 701, asystem bus 702, a ROM 703, a RAM 704, a storage unit 710, acommunication processing unit 720, an extension interface unit 724, anoperation unit 730, an image processing unit 740, an audio processingunit 750, and a sensor unit 760.

The main control unit 701 is a microprocessor unit for controlling theentire portable information terminal 700. The system bus 702 is a datacommunication path for transmitting and receiving data between the maincontrol unit 701 and the respective operation blocks in the portableinformation terminal 700.

The ROM 703 is a memory in which basic operation programs such as anoperating system and other operation programs are stored and employs arewritable ROM such as an EEPROM or a flash ROM, for example. The RAM(Random Access Memory) 704 serves as a work area at the time ofexecuting the basic operation programs or other operation programs. TheROM 703 and RAM 704 may be integrally formed with the main control unit701. Moreover, the ROM 703 may not have an independent configurationshown in FIG. 5A but may use a part of a storage region in the storageunit 710.

The storage unit 710 stores operation programs and operation set valuesof the portable information terminal 700 and personal information or thelike of users of the portable information terminal 700. Moreover, thestorage unit 710 can store operation programs downloaded from thenetwork and various kinds of data and the like formed by those operationprograms. Furthermore, the storage unit 710 can store content such asmoving images, still images, audio, or the like, downloaded from thenetwork. The entire or a part of the functions of the ROM 703 may bereplaced by a part of the region of the storage unit 710. Moreover, thestorage unit 710 needs to hold stored information even in a state whereno power is supplied from the outside to the portable informationterminal 700. Accordingly, a device such as a flash ROM, an SSD, or anHDD, is used.

Note that the respective operation programs stored in the ROM 703 andthe storage unit 710 can be updated or extended in their functions bydownloading from the respective server devices on the Internet 200.

The communication processing unit 720 is constituted by a LANcommunication unit 721, a mobile telephone network communication unit722, and an NFC communication unit 723. The LAN communication unit 721is connected to the Internet 200 via the router device 210 to transmitand receive data to and from the respective server devices on theInternet 200. The connection with the router device 210 is made in awireless connection such as a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or the like.The mobile telephone network communication unit 722 carries outtelephone communications (calls) and data transmission and reception viawireless communication with the base station 600 b of the mobiletelephone network. The NFC communication unit 723 carries out a wirelesscommunication at the time of being close to a correspondingreader/writer. It is assumed that the LAN communication unit 721, themobile telephone network communication unit 722, and the NFCcommunication unit 723 are each provided with an encoding circuit, adecoding circuit, an antenna, or the like. Moreover, the communicationprocessing unit 720 may be further provided with another communicationunit such as a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication unit, oran infrared ray communication unit.

The extension interface unit 724 is a group of interfaces for extendingthe functions of the portable information terminal 700 and in thepresent embodiment, is constituted by a video image/audio interface, aUSB interface, a memory interface, and the like. The video image/audiointerface carries out an input of a video image signal/audio signal froman external video image/audio output device, an output of the videoimage signal/audio signal into an external video image/audio inputdevice, or the like. The USB interface is connected to a PC or the liketo transmit and receive data. Moreover, the USB interface may be usedfor connection with a keyboard or another USB device. The memoryinterface is connected to a memory card or another memory medium totransmit and receive data.

The operation unit 730 is an instruction input unit for inputting anoperation instruction to the portable information terminal 700 and inthe present embodiment, constituted by a touch panel 730 t disposed tobe overlapped with a display unit 741 and operation keys 730 k on whichbutton switches are arranged. Only either one of these may be used. Theportable information terminal 700 may be operated by using a keyboard orthe like connected to an extended interface unit 724. The portableinformation terminal 700 may be operated by using a portable terminaldevice as a separated unit connected by a wire communication or awireless communication. Moreover, the above-mentioned touch panelfunction may be also provided in the display unit 741.

The image processing unit 740 is constituted by the display unit 741, animage signal processing unit 742, a first image input unit 743, and asecond image input unit 744. The display unit 741 is, for example, adisplay device such as a liquid crystal panel and provides image dataprocessed in the image signal processing unit 742 to a user of theportable information terminal 700. The image signal processing unit 742is provided with a video RAM omitted in the drawing, and the displayunit 741 is driven based on image data inputted to the video RAM.Moreover, it is assumed that the image processing unit 742 is providedwith functions for carrying out a format conversion, a superimposingprocess of a menu and other OSD (On Screen Display) signals, or thelike, if necessary. The first image input unit 743 and the second imageinput unit 744 are camera units in which image data of an object and theperiphery thereof is inputted by converting light inputted from a lensinto an electric signal through use of an electronic device such as aCCD (Charge Coupled Device), a CMOS (Complementary Metal OxideSemiconductor) sensor, or the like.

The audio processing unit 750 is constituted by an audio output unit751, an audio signal processing unit 752, and an audio input unit 753.The audio output unit 751 is a speaker and provides an audio signalprocessed in the audio signal processing unit 752 to the user of theportable information terminal 700. The audio input unit 753 is amicrophone and converts voice or the like of the user into audio data tobe inputted.

The sensor unit 760 is a group of sensors for detecting the state of theportable information terminal 700 and in the present embodiment, isconstituted by a GPS receiving unit 761, a gyro sensor 762, ageomagnetic sensor 763, an acceleration sensor 764, an illuminancesensor 765, and a proximity sensor 766. The group of sensors can detectthe position, inclination, orientation, and movement of the portableinformation terminal 700, ambient brightness, proximity states ofperipheral objects, and the like. Moreover, the portable informationterminal 700 may be further provided with another sensor such as anatmospheric pressure sensor.

The portable information terminal 700 may be a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like. The portable information terminal700 may also be a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) or a notebook-typePC. Moreover, the portable information terminal 700 may also be adigital still camera, a video camera capable of capturing moving images,a portable game machine, or the like, or another portable digitaldevice.

Note that, although the configuration example of the portableinformation terminal 700 shown in FIG. 5A includes many elements such asthe sensor unit 760 that are not essential to the present embodiment,even in the configuration in which these elements are not provided, theeffects of the present embodiment are not impaired. Moreover,configurations not shown in the drawings such as a digital broadcastreceiving function, an electronic money settlement function, or thelike, may be further added thereto.

[Software Configuration of Portable Information Terminal]

FIG. 5B is a diagram showing a software configuration of the portableinformation terminal 700 of the present embodiment and shows softwareconfigurations in the ROM 703, the RAM 704, and the storage unit 710. Inthe present embodiment, a basic operation program 7001 and otheroperation programs are stored in the ROM 703, and a cooperation controlprogram 7002, an HTML browser program 7003, and other operation programsare stored in the storage unit 710. Moreover, the storage unit 710 isprovided with a content storage region 7011 for storing content such asmoving images, still images, audio, or the like, an authenticationinformation storage region 7012 for storing authentication informationto be used upon carrying out a cooperative operation or the like with atelevision receiver, and various information storage regions for storingother various information.

The basic operation program 7001 stored in the ROM 703 is developed onthe RAM 704, and further, the main control unit 701 executes thedeveloped basic operation program, thereby constituting a basicoperation execution unit 7101. Moreover, the cooperation control program7002 and the HTML browser program 7003 which are stored in the storageunit 710 are each developed on the RAM 704, and further, the maincontrol unit 701 executes the respective developed operation programs,thereby constituting a cooperation control execution unit 7102 and anHTML browser engine 7103. Furthermore, the RAM 704 is provided with atemporary storage region for temporarily storing data formed at the timeof executing the respective operation programs, if necessary.

Note that, in the following, for simplicity of description, a process inwhich the main control unit 701 controls each of operation blocks bydeveloping the basic operation program 7001 stored in the ROM 703 on theRAM 704 and executing the developed program is described on theassumption that the basic operation execution unit 7101 controls each ofoperation blocks. With respect to other operation programs, the samedescription will be given.

The cooperation control execution unit 7102 carries out managements suchas a device authentication and connection thereof, transmission andreception of respective data, or the like, required when the portableinformation terminal 700 carries out a linkage operation with atelevision receiver. The HTML browser engine 7103 is an HTML browser forexecuting an application produced for a broadcast communicationcooperation system on the portable information terminal 700.

The above-mentioned respective operation programs may be preliminarilystored in the ROM 703 and/or the storage unit 710 at the time ofshipment of the product. These programs may be acquired from anotherapplication server 500 or the like on the Internet 200 via the LANcommunication unit 721 or the mobile telephone network communicationunit 722 after the shipment of the product. Moreover, theabove-mentioned operation programs stored in a memory card, an opticaldisc, or the like may be acquired via the extension interface unit 724or the like.

[Outline of Application Control Information (AIT)]

The application control information (AIT) of the present embodiment isan information intended to notify the presence of an application(hereinafter, referred to as “broadcast cooperation application,” insome cases) that is in cooperation with a broadcast service relative toa television receiver or the like (in the present embodiment, broadcastreceiver 100) in a broadcast communication cooperation functionapplicable to the broadcast receiver 100, and to instruct its control.Note that the broadcast cooperation application is divided into (1) abroadcast managed application that is operated only in a broadcastreceiving status based on a control signal for activation/end or thelike included in a broadcast signal and permits access to a broadcastresource based on the control signal, (2) an out-of-broadcast managedapplication that is used in an operation mode in which activation/end orthe like is not controlled by a broadcast signal and permits access tothe broadcast resource based on means such as an applicationauthentication or the like, and (3) another general application thatdoes not permit access to the broadcast resource.

With respect to the transmission method of AIT, either one of methods inwhich AIT of a section format or an XML (eXtensible Markup Language)format is transmitted by a broadcast wave through a data carousel (DataCarousel: DC) system or the like and in which an AIT file of the sectionformat or the XML format is delivered from a server device on theInternet 200 by http (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), https (HypertextTransfer Protocol Secure), or the like may be used. Other systems may beadopted.

FIG. 6 is a data configuration diagram showing one example of a dataconfiguration of AIT. The AIT is mainly constituted by various pieces ofinformation such as an application type 901, an application identifier902, an application control code 903, an application profile 904,application acquisition source information 905, application boundary andaccess privilege setting 906, activation priority 907, cache information908, server access dispersion parameter 909, or the like. Moreover,other information may be included.

The application type 901 prescribes the description method of theapplication. In the present embodiment, the description method of theapplication is HTML. The application identifier 902 is identificationinformation constituted by an organization identification foridentifying the provider and an application identification that isassigned to each of the providers, which is used for identifying theapplication unit. Note that the application unit refers to a set of anHTML document and its reference resource, with an HTML document that ispresent at a location specified by the application acquisition sourceinformation 905 being used as an entry document. The application controlcode 903 which prescribes an operation control for an object applicationhas one of (1) automatic activation, (2) operable, (3) end, and (4)pre-fetch described therein. The application profile 904 which is avalue indicating a function of a television receiver that is requestedby the application indicates functions provided in the televisionreceiver as options in combination. With reference to this value,whether or not the application can be utilized is determined.

The application acquisition source information 905 is information foridentifying the acquisition source of an application and corresponds tolocation information used for acquiring an HTML document that is firstreferred to at the time of activation of an application. Since two casesare assumed for acquiring the application, that is, a case in which theapplication is transmitted by broadcast and a case in which theapplication is placed on a server device on a communication network, thelocation information identified by the application acquisition sourceinformation 905 also includes prescriptions applicable to both cases ofthe broadcast acquisition and the communication acquisition. Theapplication boundary and access privilege setting 906 is informationindicating the operable range for the broadcast managed application as aset of one or more regions (URL: Uniform Resource Locator). Moreover,the access privilege to the broadcast resource for each of the regionsis set for each functional unit. By the application boundary and accessprivilege setting 906, the range of document transition is specified toprevent transition to an unexpected document due to a chain of documenttransitions from the entry document at the time of applicationactivation, an access to an inappropriate broadcast resource, or thelike. Furthermore, an access privilege to a particular broadcastresource can be set by a region unit within the range of the documenttransition.

In a case in which a data broadcast by a broadcast service and abroadcast managed application by an HTML document are simultaneouslypresent, the activation priority 907 prescribes which should bepreferentially activated. It is assumed that specification of the databroadcast to be the first priority under no conditions on the PMT,specification of an activation priority order of a particularapplication type on the PMT, and specification of the activationpriority of a target application by the activation priority 907 arepossible. The cache information 908 is information for cache control ina case in which an application resource is held in preparation for reuseof the application. By this information, even after the end of anapplication, a cache operation of the application resource in which thereuse thereof is expected is carried out. The server access dispersionparameter 909 is a parameter set for dispersing accesses in order toreduce loads to a server on which accesses are concentrated as anacquisition source of applications or the like. In accordance with thesetting of this parameter, the television receiver may be operated tostochastically delay the application of an application control code.

In the following, operations of the broadcast receiver 100 of thepresent embodiment will be described.

[Operation Sequence at the Time of Activation of Application]

First, the activation process of a broadcast cooperation applicationbased on the AIT to be transmitted by a broadcast wave in the broadcastreceiver 100 of the present embodiment will be described. In a case inwhich a data broadcast by a broadcast service and a broadcastcooperation application are simultaneously present, the broadcastreceiver 100 of the present embodiment can prescribe which should bepreferentially activated, based on information on the PMT andinformation such as the AIT application control code 903 and theactivation priority 907.

FIG. 7A is an operation sequence diagram showing one example of anoperation sequence of a broadcast cooperation application in a case inwhich the broadcast cooperation application is prescribed to bepreferentially activated. FIG. 7A shows a series of flow until thebroadcast receiver 100 activates a predetermined broadcast cooperationapplication after confirming the PMT and the AIT appropriately.

When the tuner/demodulation unit 131 of the broadcast receiver 100acquires a TS by carrying out a selection process for a channel desiredby the user, the main control unit 101 next acquires a PMT data rowseparated in the first separation unit 132 (S101) to confirm theactivation priority described in the PMT. When it is confirmed that thebroadcast cooperation application has a high activation priority in theprocess of S101 (S102), the application control unit 161 acquires theAIT data row separated in the first separation unit 132 (S103) andconfirms the application control code 903 of the acquired AIT data row(S104). In a case in which the application control code 903 is“automatic activation” in the process of S104, the application controlunit 161 further confirms the application profile 904 of the AIT datarow acquired as described above (S105), and in a case in which it isconfirmed that the broadcast cooperation application specified by theAIT is executable, based on information described in the applicationacquisition source information 905, the application control unit 161transmits a transmission request for the broadcast cooperationapplication to the predetermined service provider server 400 via the LANcommunication unit 121 (S106).

The service provider server 400 that receives the transmission requestfor the broadcast cooperation application carries out an authenticationprocess on the broadcast receiver 100 based on the control of theapplication managing/distributing execution unit 4103, if necessary, andthen carries out a delivery of the predetermined broadcast cooperationapplication stored in the application storage region 4013 via the LANcommunication unit 421 (S107). Note that, with respect to theabove-mentioned authentication process, a generally known method may beused, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Next, theapplication engine 162 of the broadcast receiver 100 activates thepredetermined broadcast cooperation application which is delivered bythe service provider server 400 and received via the LAN communicationunit 121, based on the control of the application control unit 161(S108).

FIG. 7B is an operation sequence diagram showing one example of anoperation sequence of a broadcast cooperation application in a case inwhich a data broadcast by a broadcast service is prescribed to bepreferentially activated. FIG. 7B shows a series of flow until thebroadcast receiver 100 activates a predetermined broadcast cooperationapplication after confirming the PMT and the AIT appropriately.

When the tuner/demodulation unit 131 of the broadcast receiver 100acquires a TS by carrying out a selection process for a channel desiredby the user, the main control unit 101 next acquires a PMT data rowseparated in the first separation unit 132 (S201) to confirm theactivation priority described in the PMT. When it is confirmed that thedata broadcast by a broadcast service has a high activation priority inthe process of S201 (S202), the data broadcast receiving and processingunit 141 acquires a BML data row separated by the first separation unit132 and reproduces the BML document (S203). In a case in which theautomatic activation of the data broadcast is set by the BML document,if the user requests the activation of the data broadcast by using anoperation terminal (portable information terminal 700, remotecontroller, or the like) (S204), the data broadcast engine 142 generatesdata broadcast screen information by executing the reproduced BMLdocument and displays the information on the video image display unit173 (S205).

After the process of S205, or simultaneously as the process of S205, theapplication control unit 161 acquires the AIT data row separated by thefirst separation unit 132 (S206) and confirms the application profile904 of the acquired AIT data row (S207). In the process of S207, it isconfirmed that the broadcast cooperation application specified by theAIT can be executed, an entry button to the executable broadcastcooperation application is displayed on the data broadcast screen. Theentry button may be always displayed, and only when the broadcastcooperation application is executable, the coloring thereof may bealtered from a non-active color to an active color. The non-active stateand the active state of the entry button may be switched by altering theshape thereof.

When the user selects the entry button by using the operation terminal(S208), the data broadcast engine 142 terminates the process forgenerating the data broadcast screen information by executing the BMLdocument (S209). Subsequently, the application control unit 161 acquiresthe AIT data row separated by the first separation unit 132 (S210) andconfirms the application acquisition source information 905 of theacquired AIT data row. Further, based on information described in theapplication acquisition source information 905 confirmed in S210, theapplication control unit 161 transmits a transmission request for thebroadcast cooperation application to the predetermined service providerserver 400, via the LAN communication unit 121 (S211).

The service provider server 400 that receives the transmission requestfor the broadcast cooperation application carries out an authenticationprocess on the broadcast receiver 100, if necessary, based on thecontrol of the application managing/distributing execution unit 4103 andthen, delivers the predetermined broadcast cooperation applicationstored in the application storage region 4013 via the LAN communicationunit 421 (S212). Next, the application engine 162 of the broadcastreceiver 100 activates the predetermined broadcast cooperationapplication which is delivered by the service provider server 400 andreceived via the LAN communication unit 121, based on the control of theapplication control unit 161 (S213).

FIG. 7C is an operation sequence diagram showing one example of anoperation sequence of a broadcast cooperation application in a case inwhich no activation with priority is prescribed. FIG. 7C shows a seriesof flow until the broadcast receiver 100 activates a predeterminedbroadcast cooperation application after confirming the PMT and the AITappropriately.

When the tuner/demodulation unit 131 of the broadcast receiver 100acquires a TS by carrying out a selection process for a channel desiredby the user, the main control unit 101 next acquires a PMT data rowseparated in the first separation unit 132 (S301) to confirm theactivation priority described in the PMT. When it is confirmed that thebroadcast cooperation application has a high activation priority in theprocess of S301 (S302), the application control unit 161 acquires theAIT data row separated in the first separation unit 132 (S303) andconfirms the application control code 903 of the acquired AIT data row(S304). In the process of S304, the application control code 903 is not“automatic activation,” but “activation is possible,” it activatesneither the data broadcast by a broadcast service nor the broadcastcooperation application, and continues to display a broadcast program.

In a case in which the user requests the activation of a data broadcastby using the operation terminal (S305) after the end of the process ofS304, like the process of S205 in FIG. 7B and the subsequent steps, theacquisition of the BML data row, the reproduction of the BML document,the generation of the data broadcast screen information, and the like(omitted in the drawing) are carried out. Meanwhile, in a case in whichthe user requests the activation of a broadcast cooperation applicationlauncher by using the operation terminal (S306) after the end of theprocess of S304, the application control unit 161 acquires the AIT datarow separated in the first separation unit 132 (S307) and confirms theapplication profile 904 of the acquired AIT data row (S308). Further,the application control unit 161 displays a list of executable broadcastcooperation applications on the video image display unit 173 as abroadcast cooperation application launcher (S309).

When the user selects a predetermined broadcast cooperation applicationfrom the broadcast cooperation application launcher displayed in S309 byusing the operation terminal (S310), the application control unit 161acquires the AIT data row separated in the first separation unit 132(S311) and confirms the application acquisition source information 905of the acquired AIT data row. Further, based on information described inthe application acquisition source information 905 confirmed in S311,the application control unit 161 transmits a transmission request for abroadcast cooperation application to the predetermined service providerserver 400 via the LAN communication unit 121 (S312).

The service provider server 400 that receives the transmission requestfor the broadcast cooperation application carries out an authenticationprocess on the broadcast receiver 100 based on the control of theapplication managing/distributing execution unit 4103, if necessary andthen, carries out a delivery of the predetermined broadcast cooperationapplication stored in the application storage region 4013 via the LANcommunication unit 421 (S313). Next, the application engine 162 of thebroadcast receiver 100 activates the predetermined broadcast cooperationapplication which is delivered by the service provider server 400 andreceived via the LAN communication unit 121, based on the control of theapplication control unit 161 (S314).

Note that, in the activation sequence of the broadcast cooperationapplication described with reference to FIG. 7A to FIG. 7C, aconfiguration example in which an AIT is acquired from a broadcast waveis described in any cases; however, an AIT file may be acquired from apredetermined server device specified by an information description of aPMT or the like. Moreover, the acquisition of the broadcast cooperationapplication may be carried out not from the server device (serviceprovider server 400) on the network, but from the broadcast wave. Thatis, in a case in which location information described in the applicationacquisition source information 905 of the AIT indicates a broadcastwave, the application control unit 161 may reproduce an HTML documentfrom an HTML data row transmitted in a data carousel method or the like,separated in the first separation unit 132, and outputted therefrom sothat the application engine 162 can execute the reproduced HTML document(broadcast cooperation application).

Note that, when no information for specifying the activation priority ina case in which a data broadcast by a broadcast service and a broadcastcooperation application are simultaneously present on the PMT, theactivation priority may be confirmed only by information such as theapplication control code 903 of the AIT, the activation priority 907,and the like. Similarly, also in a case in which acquisition of theinformation on the PMT is failed, the activation priority may beconfirmed only by information such as the application control code 903of the AIT, the activation priority 907, and the like. That is,confirmation of the AIT is regularly made without depending on theinformation on the PMT, and when a broadcast cooperation applicationspecified by “automatic activation” in the application control code 903of the AIT is present, the activation of the broadcast cooperationapplication is preferentially carried out, while when broadcastcooperation application specified by “automatic activation” in theapplication control code 903 of the AIT is not present, the activationof the data broadcast by a broadcast service may be preferentiallycarried out.

Moreover, in a case in which no response is given from the serviceprovider server 400 for a predetermined period of time or more uponcarrying out a delivery request for the broadcast cooperationapplication in each step S106, S211, and S312, a message such as “Pleasewait for a while” or the like may be displayed on the video imagedisplay unit 173. Alternatively, in this case, a massage for inquiringof the user about cancellation of the execution of the broadcastcooperation application may be displayed.

Furthermore, it is needless to say that the activation sequence of thebroadcast cooperation application is not limited by the above-mentionedthree patterns, but may be activated by a different sequence.

[Operation Sequence of Portable Information Terminal at the Time ofCooperation]

In the broadcast receiver 100 of the present embodiment, a functionextension of the broadcast communication cooperation service is possibleby a cooperative operation between the broadcast receiver 100 and theportable information terminal 700. For example, by installing anapplication (cooperation control application) prepared by the televisionreceiver maker, the portable information terminal 700 can be used as ahighly functional remote controller for the broadcast receiver 100.Moreover, by executing the broadcast cooperation application also on theportable information terminal 700, a service in cooperation with abroadcast program currently displayed on the broadcast receiver 100 canbe displayed also on the portable information terminal 700, for example.Note that, in order to carry out a function expansion by the cooperativeoperation between the broadcast receiver 100 and the portableinformation terminal 700, the above-mentioned cooperation controlapplication is desirably activated on the portable information terminal700, and it is assumed that the broadcast cooperation application to beoperated on the portable information terminal 700 is operated by beingcontrolled by the cooperation control application.

FIG. 8A is an operation sequence diagram showing one example of anoperation sequence in activating the cooperation control application onthe portable information terminal 700. FIG. 8A shows a series of flow(first time) until a cooperative operation becomes possible after theportable information terminal 700 carries out an authentication processwith the broadcast receiver 100. Note that it is assumed that thecooperation control application is preliminarily installed in thestorage unit 710 of the portable information terminal 700 as acooperation control program 7002.

When the user gives an instruction for activation of the cooperationcontrol application on the portable information terminal 700 (S401), thecooperation control execution unit 7102 of the portable informationterminal 700 searches television receivers that can carry outcommunication (cooperative operation) on the network (S402) and displaysthe search results on the display unit 741 as a list of the televisionreceivers. When the television receivers that can carry outcommunication are not found, the corresponding message is displayed toterminate the process. When the user selects a desired televisionreceiver (broadcast receiver 100 in the present embodiment) from thelist of television receivers, the cooperation control execution unit7102 displays a log-in screen for connecting to the broadcast receiver100 on the display unit 741. When the user inputs authenticationinformation (log-in name, password, and the like specified by thebroadcast receiver 100) to the log-in screen via the operation unit 730(S403), the cooperation control execution unit 7102 stores the inputtedauthentication information in the authentication information storageregion 7012 and simultaneously transmits to the broadcast receiver 100(S404). Note that the transmitting process of the authenticationinformation to the broadcast receiver 100 may be carried out via the LANcommunication unit 721 and the router device 210 or may be directlycarried out onto the broadcast receiver 100 via the NFC communicationunit 723.

The terminal cooperation control unit 191 of the broadcast receiver 100which receives the authentication information via the LAN communicationunit 121 confirms whether or not the authentication information thusreceived is correct by referring to the authentication informationstorage region 1012 (S405). In a case in which the receivedauthentication information is confirmed to be correct as a result of theprocess of S405, the terminal cooperation control unit 191 stores theinformation of the portable information terminal 700 in theauthentication information storage region 1012 and also carries out anauthentication process on the portable information terminal 700 (S406).The portable information terminal 700 authenticated by the broadcastreceiver 100 displays a basic screen (for example, highly functionalremote control screen) of the cooperation control application on thedisplay unit 741 (S407). In a case in which the received authenticationinformation is not confirmed to be correct in S405, the terminalcooperation control unit 191 of the broadcast receiver 100 returns anerror to the portable information terminal 700. According to theabove-mentioned process, the cooperative operation between the broadcastreceiver 100 and the portable information terminal 700 becomes possible.

FIG. 8B is an operation sequence diagram showing one example of anoperation sequence in activating the cooperation control application onthe portable information terminal 700. FIG. 8B shows a series of flow(second time and thereafter) until a cooperative operation becomespossible after the portable information terminal 700 carries out anauthentication process with the broadcast receiver 100.

When the user gives an instruction for activation of the cooperationcontrol application on the portable information terminal 700 (S501), thecooperation control execution unit 7102 of the portable informationterminal 700 searches television receivers that can carry outcommunication on the network and displays the search results on thedisplay unit 741 as a list of the television receivers. When televisionreceivers that can carry out communication are not found, thecorresponding message is displayed to terminate the process. A desiredtelevision receiver (broadcast receiver 100 in the present embodiment)is selected from the list of television receivers by the user (S502),and when the selected broadcast receiver 100 is an device that has beenconnected (cooperative operation) therewith in the past, the cooperationcontrol execution unit 7102 reads out the authentication information ofthe broadcast receiver 100 from the authentication information storageregion 7012 to transmit the information to the broadcast receiver 100(S503).

The terminal cooperation control unit 191 of the broadcast receiver 100which receives the authentication information via the LAN communicationunit 121 confirms whether or not the received authentication informationis correct by referring to the authentication information storage region1012 (S504). In a case in which the received authentication informationis confirmed to be correct as a result of the process of S504, theterminal cooperation control unit 191 authenticates the portableinformation terminal 700 (S505). The portable information terminal 700thus authenticated by the broadcast receiver 100 displays a basic screenof the cooperation control application on the display unit 741 (S506).According to the above-mentioned process, the cooperative operationbetween the broadcast receiver 100 and the portable information terminal700 becomes possible.

Note that, in a case in which the broadcast cooperation application isactivated in the broadcast receiver 100, subsequently to the processesin FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, processes in FIG. 7A to FIG. 7C can be carriedout after the processes in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B.

FIG. 8C is an operation sequence diagram showing one example of anoperation sequence in activating the cooperation control application onthe portable information terminal 700. FIG. 8C shows a series of flow(second time and thereafter) until a cooperative operation becomespossible after the portable information terminal 700 carries out anauthentication process with the broadcast receiver 100. In this case,this figure exemplifies a case in which the activation of thecooperation control application is requested on the portable informationterminal 700 by the broadcast receiver 100 that executes the activationsequence of the broadcast cooperation application.

When the tuner/demodulation unit 131 of the broadcast receiver 100acquires a TS by carrying out a selection process for a channel desiredby the user, the main control unit 101 next acquires a PMT data rowseparated in the first separation unit 132 (S601) to confirm theactivation priority described in the PMT. When it is confirmed that thebroadcast cooperation application has a high activation priority in theprocess of S601 (S602), the application control unit 161 acquires theAIT data row separated in the first separation unit 132 (S603) andconfirms the application control code 903 of the acquired AIT data row(S604). In the process of S604, the application control code 903 is“automatic activation,” the application control unit 161 furtherconfirms the application profile 904 of the acquired AIT data row(S605). In the process of S605, the execution of the broadcastcooperation application specified by the AIT is confirmed to bepossible, and further, when it is determined that the cooperationcontrol of the portable terminal device is required, the terminalcooperation control unit 191 refers to the authentication informationstorage region 1012, thereby selecting the portable information terminal700 as the portable terminal device to transmit a cooperation controlapplication activation request to the selected portable informationterminal 700 (S606).

Note that the selection of the portable information terminal 700resulted from referring to the authentication information storage region1012 may be carried out based on the newest information in theauthentication information storage region 1012, or based on informationwhich is most frequently used in the authentication information storageregion 1012.

Moreover, in the process of S606, in a case in which no portableinformation terminal device to which the cooperation control applicationactivation request is to be transmitted is found, the correspondingmessage may be displayed on the video image display unit 173.Alternatively, in this case, a message for inquiring of the user as tothe cancellation of the execution of the broadcast cooperationapplication may be displayed.

The main control unit 701 of the portable information terminal 700activates the cooperation control application (cooperation controlexecution unit 7102), in accordance with the cooperation controlapplication activation request received via the LAN communication unit721 (S607), and the cooperation control execution unit 7102 furtherreads out the authentication information of the broadcast receiver 100from the authentication information storage region 7012 to transmit theinformation to the broadcast receiver 100 (S608).

The terminal cooperation control unit 191 of the broadcast receiver 100which receives the authentication information via the LAN communicationunit 121 confirms whether or not the received authentication informationis correct by referring to the authentication information storage region1012 (S609). In a case in which the received authentication informationis confirmed to be correct as a result of the process of S609, theportable information terminal 700 is authenticated (S610). The portableinformation terminal 700 authenticated by the broadcast receiver 100displays a basic screen of the cooperation control application on thedisplay unit 741 (S611). According to the above-mentioned process, acooperative operation between the broadcast receiver 100 and theportable information terminal 700 becomes possible.

Note that, in a case in which the broadcast cooperation application isexecuted in both of the broadcast receiver 100 and the portableinformation terminal 700 subsequently to the above-mentioned processes,processes shown in FIG. 9 may be carried out. FIG. 9 is an operationsequence diagram showing one example of an activation sequence of thebroadcast cooperation application of the broadcast receiver 100 and theportable information terminal 700.

That is, after the processes of S601 to S611 shown in FIG. 8C, theapplication control unit 161 of the broadcast receiver 100 acquires anAIT data row separated in the first separation unit 132 (S612) andconfirms the application acquisition source information 905 of theacquired AIT data row. Further, based on information described in theapplication acquisition source information 905 confirmed in S612, theapplication control unit 161 transmits a transmission request for thebroadcast cooperation application (television side) to the predeterminedservice provider server 400 via the LAN communication unit 121 (S613).

The service provider server 400 that has received the transmissionrequest for the broadcast cooperation application (television side)carries out an authentication process on the broadcast receiver 100based on the control of the application managing/distributing executionunit 4103, if necessary, and then carries out a delivery of thepredetermined broadcast cooperation application (television side) storedin the application storage region 4013 via the LAN communication unit421 (S614). The application engine 162 of the broadcast receiver 100activates the predetermined broadcast cooperation application(television side) which is delivered by the service provider server 400and received via the LAN communication unit 121, based on the control ofthe application control unit 161 (S615).

Next, the terminal cooperation control unit 191 of the broadcastreceiver 100 transmits the acquisition source URL information or thelike of the broadcast cooperation application (terminal side) to beexecuted in the portable information terminal 700, acquired from the AITor the broadcast cooperation application (television side) executed inS615, to the portable information terminal 700 (S616). The cooperationcontrol execution unit 7102 of the portable information terminal 700transmits a transmission request for the broadcast cooperationapplication (terminal side) to the predetermined service provider server400 via the LAN communication unit 721, based on the acquisition sourceURL information or the like of the broadcast cooperation application(terminal side) received via the LAN communication unit 721 (S617).

The service provider server 400 that receives the transmission requestfor the broadcast cooperation application (terminal side) carries out anauthentication process on the portable information terminal 700, ifnecessary, based on the control of the application managing/distributingexecution unit 4103 and then, delivers the predetermined broadcastcooperation application (terminal side) stored in the applicationstorage region 4013 via the LAN communication unit 421 (S618). The HTMLbrowser engine 7103 of the portable information terminal 700 activatesthe predetermined broadcast cooperation application (terminal side)which is delivered by the service provider server 400 and received viathe LAN communication unit 721 (S619).

Note that the acquisition of an AIT file is possible from apredetermined server, the acquisition of the broadcast cooperationapplication can be carried out not from the server device on thenetwork, but from a broadcast wave, and the like are the same as thoseof the operation sequence shown in FIG. 7A to 7C. Note that, in a casein which the acquisition of the broadcast cooperation application iscarried out from the broadcast wave, the broadcast receiver 100 may bedesigned to acquire the broadcast cooperation application (terminalside) to be executed in the portable information terminal 700 and totransfer the acquired broadcast cooperation application (terminal side)to the portable information terminal 700 via the communication unit 121.Alternatively, the broadcast receiver 100 may be designed to acquire thebroadcast cooperation application (terminal side) to be executed in theportable information terminal 700 and store in the storage unit 110, andin the process of S616 in FIG. 9, to transmit location information inthe storage unit 110 of the broadcast receiver 100 as URL information tobe transmitted to the portable information terminal 700. The broadcastreceiver 100 may be designed to acquire the broadcast cooperationapplication (television side) from a broadcast wave, and the portableinformation terminal 700 may be designed to acquire the broadcastcooperation application (terminal side) from a server device on thenetwork. By using a digital broadcast receiving function included in theportable information terminal 700, the acquisition of the broadcastcooperation application (terminal side) can be directly carried out froma broadcast wave.

Moreover, the operation sequences shown in FIG. 7A to FIG. 7C, FIG. 8Ato FIG. 8C, and FIG. 9 may be partially combined with one anotherappropriately, and partial operation steps may be appropriately replacedwith other operation steps in the order or may be simultaneouslyoperated with other operation steps, for example.

[Basic Screen of Cooperation Control Application of Portable InformationTerminal]

FIG. 10A is a screen display view showing one example of a basic screenof a cooperation control application displayed in the process of S407 inFIG. 8A, the process of S506 in FIG. 8B, the process of S611 in FIG. 8C,and the like. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a basicscreen 741 a of a cooperation control application is provided withfunctions as a highly functional remote controller corresponding to thebroadcast receiver 100.

As shown in FIG. 10A, the basic screen 741 a of the cooperation controlapplication is constituted by a power-supply key 741 a 1, networkselection keys (digital terrestrial broadcast, BS, and CS) 741 a 2,numeral keys (1 to 12) 741 a 3, volume UP/DOWN key 741 a 4, channelUP/DOWN key 741 a 5, input switching key 741 a 6, program guide key 741a 7, data key 741 a 8, cooperation application key 741 a 9, menu key 741aa, return key 741 ab, cursor keys (up, down, left, right) 741 ac, enterkey 741 ad, and color keys (blue, red, green, yellow) 741 ae. Otheroperation keys may be further displayed.

When the above-mentioned respective operation keys are set to have thesame key arrangements/operations as those of an exclusive remotecontroller attached to the broadcast receiver 100, improved usabilitycan be achieved. Moreover, since the power-supply key 741 a 1, thenetwork selection keys 742 a 2, the numeral keys 741 a 3, and the likeare supposed to have the same functions as the operation keys of agenerally known television remote controller, the detailed descriptionsthereof are omitted. The cooperation application key 741 a 9 is anoperation key specially prepared for the broadcast cooperationcommunication function of the present embodiment.

Note that, in the processes of S204 in FIG. 7B and of S305 in FIG. 7C,by selecting the data key 741 a 8, the activation/end of data broadcastcan be carried out. Moreover, in the processes of S208 in FIG. 7B and ofS310 in FIG. 7C, by operating the cursor key 741 ac and the enter key741 ad, selection can be made among the executable broadcast cooperationapplications. Furthermore, in the processes of S306 in FIG. 7C, byselecting the cooperation application key 741 a 9, an activation requestfor a broadcast cooperation application launcher can be carried out.

In this manner, by preparing the cooperation application key 741 a 9 oranother operation key having the same function on the basic screen 741 aof the cooperation control application, the respective broadcastcooperation applications to be used in the broadcast cooperation systemof the present embodiment can be easily selected/activated. Moreover,the cooperation application key 741 a 9 or another operation key havingthe same function may be installed in the exclusive remote controllerattached to the broadcast receiver 100.

FIG. 10B is a screen display view showing one example of a basic screenof a cooperation control application displayed in the process of S407 inFIG. 8A, the process of S506 in FIG. 8B, the process of S611 in FIG. 8C,and the like, which is different from the example of FIG. 10A.

The basic screen 741 b of the cooperation control application isconstituted by a message 741 b 1 under cooperation control and acooperation control application operation screen 741 b 2. Other objectsmay be further displayed. The message 741 b 1 under cooperation controlis a message display for allowing the user to recognize that theportable information terminal 700 is in cooperative operation with thebroadcast receiver 100. The cooperation control application operationscreen 741 b 2 corresponds to a region in which a desired screen displayis carried out by the cooperation control application, and detaileddescription thereof will be omitted in the present embodiment. Forexample, the configuration in the cooperation control applicationoperation screen 741 b 2 may be the same as the configuration of thebasic screen 741 a of the above-mentioned cooperation controlapplication. A sub-screen or the like of a broadcast program displayedon the broadcast receiver 100 may be displayed.

As shown in FIG. 10B, by displaying the message 741 b 1 undercooperation control as shown in FIG. 10B, the user of the portableinformation terminal 700 can easily understand that the portableinformation terminal 700 is in cooperative operation with the broadcastreceiver 100. Note that the message 741 b 1 under cooperation controlmay be indicated by not only a character display but also a symboldisplay, a graphic display, or the like. A difference in backgroundcolor or the like may be used in place of the message 741 b 1 undercooperation control.

[Data Broadcast Screen of Broadcast Receiver]

FIG. 11 is a screen display view showing one example of a data broadcastscreen displayed as a result of the process of S205 in FIG. 7B. In thepresent embodiment, three broadcast cooperation applications including acooperation application A, a cooperation application B, and acooperation application C are set in an executable state in thebroadcast receiver 100 by the description of AIT or the like. In thiscase, an entry button 173 a 2 of the cooperation application A, an entrybutton 173 a 3 of the cooperation application B, and an entry button 173a 4 of the cooperation application C are displayed at desired positionson the data broadcast screen 173 a.

On the data broadcast screen 173 a shown in FIG. 11, when the entrybutton 173 a 2, the entry button 173 a 3, the entry button 173 a 4, orthe like is selected by using the cursor key 741 ac and the enter key741 ad of the basic screen 741 a of the cooperation control application,the display of the data broadcast screen 173 a is terminated, and thecooperation application A, the cooperation application B, thecooperation application C, or the like is activated by the control ofthe application control unit 161 and the application engine 162.

Note that, upon displaying the data broadcast screen 173 a, the framecolor, internal color, shape, character shape, size, flickering status,or the like of each entry button may be altered appropriately, dependingon the kinds of the broadcast cooperation applications, security status,or the like. For example, in a case in which the cooperation applicationA is a broadcast managed application, the frame color of the entrybutton 173 a 2 is set to a blue, in a case in which the cooperationapplication B is an out-of-broadcast managed application, the framecolor of the entry button 173 a 3 is set to a yellow, and in a case inwhich the cooperation application C is a general application, the framecolor of the entry button 173 a 4 is set to a red, and the like.Alternatively, in a case in which it is determined that the cooperationapplication A is reliable in terms of security, the frame color of theentry button 173 a 2 is set to a blue, in a case in which it isdetermined that the cooperation application B is not necessarilyreliable in terms of security, the frame color of the entry button 173 a3 is set to a yellow, and in a case in which it is determined that thecooperation application C is dangerous in terms of security, the framecolor of the entry button 173 a 4 is set to a red, and the like.

In addition, depending on functions and genres of the broadcastcooperation applications or depending on the expiration date for use orthe like of the respective broadcast cooperation applications, the framecolor, internal color, shape, character shape, size, flickering status,or the like of each entry button may be altered appropriately. Dependingon whether or not the broadcast cooperation application has beenacquired from the network or the like, the frame color, internal color,shape, character shape, size, flickering status, or the like of eachentry button may be altered appropriately. For example, in a case inwhich the cooperation application A has already been acquired from thenetwork (has already been cached in the RAM 104 or the storage unit110), the frame color of the entry button 173 a 2 is set to a blue, in acase in which the cooperation application B is being acquired, the framecolor of the entry button 173 a 3 is set to a yellow, and in a case inwhich the cooperation application C has not been acquired, the framecolor of the entry button 173 a 4 is set to a red, and the like.

By using this arrangement, the user of the broadcast receiver 100 caneasily understand the kind, security status, or the like of theexecutable broadcast cooperation application in the broadcast receiver100.

[Broadcast Cooperation Application Launcher Screen of BroadcastReceiver]

FIG. 12A is a screen display view showing one example of a notificationscreen for allowing the user to recognize that there is a broadcastcooperation application that can be activated in the broadcast receiver100 of the present embodiment.

For example, in the operation sequence shown in FIG. 7C, after theprocess of S304, the display of a broadcast program is continuouslygiven without any activation of a data broadcast by a broadcast serviceand a broadcast cooperation application. Meanwhile, in this case, bydisplaying the icon 173 b 0 shown in FIG. 12A in order to allow the userto recognize that there is a broadcast cooperation application that canbe activated, improved usability in the broadcast receiver 100 isachieved. That is, by displaying the icon 173 b 0, it becomes possibleto prevent the user from failing to see the broadcast cooperationapplication that can be activated.

Note that the display position of the icon 173 b 0 may be placed at anydesired position on the screen; however, the position is desirably setto a position that does not disturb viewing of a broadcast program. Forexample, the position is set to each of four corners of the screen orthe like. Moreover, the icon 173 b 0 may be indicated by a characterdisplay shown in FIG. 12A or may be indicated by a symbol display, agraphic display, or the like. Furthermore, the icon 173 b 0 may bealways displayed or may be displayed only during a predetermined periodof time after turning on the power or switching channels. Alternatively,the display thereof may be given simultaneously as the programinformation, the channel number, or the like is displayed.

FIG. 12B is a screen display view showing one example of a broadcastcooperation application launcher to be displayed as a result of theprocess of S306 in FIG. 7C. In the present embodiment, three broadcastcooperation applications including a cooperation application A, acooperation application B, and a cooperation application C are set in anexecutable state in the broadcast receiver 100 by the description of AITor the like. In this case, a broadcast cooperation application launcher173 b 1 is displayed at a desired position on a broadcast program screen173 b, and an entry button 173 b 2 of the cooperation application A, anentry button 173 b 3 of the cooperation application B, an entry button173 b 4 of the cooperation application C, and a return button 173 b 5are further displayed in the broadcast cooperation application launcher173 b 1.

In a state where the broadcast cooperation application launcher 173 b 1shown in FIG. 12B is displayed, when the entry button 173 b 2, the entrybutton 173 b 3, the entry button 173 b 4, or the like is selected byusing the cursor key 741 ac and the enter key 741 ad of the basic screen741 a of the cooperation control application, the cooperationapplication A, the cooperation application B, the cooperationapplication C, or the like is activated by the control of theapplication control unit 161 and the application engine 162. In a casein which the return button 173 b 5 is selected, the display of thebroadcast cooperation launcher 173 b 1 is terminated.

Note that the point that the frame color, internal color, shape,character shape, size, flickering status, or the like of each entrybutton may be altered appropriately upon displaying the broadcastcooperation launcher 173 b 1 on the broadcast program screen 173 b,depending on the kind and security status of a broadcast cooperationapplication, the functions and genres of the broadcast cooperationapplications, the acquiring status of the broadcast application from thenetwork, or the like is the same as in a case in which the entry buttonsfor the respective broadcast cooperation applications are displayed onthe data broadcast screen 173 a in FIG. 11.

Moreover, in a case in which no broadcast cooperation application thatis executable in the broadcast receiver 100 is present, it may bedesigned in such a way that the broadcast cooperation applicationlauncher 173 b 1 is not displayed. Alternatively, in this case, it maybe designed in such a way that a message such as “no usable applicationis present” is displayed inside the broadcast cooperation applicationlauncher 173 b 1.

[Broadcast Cooperation Application Execution Screen of BroadcastReceiver]

FIG. 13A is a screen display view showing one example of a broadcastcooperation application execution screen that is displayed in theprocess of S108 in FIG. 7A, the process of S213 in FIG. 7B, the processof S314 in FIG. 7C, the process of S615 in FIG. 9, or the like. Thebroadcast cooperation application of the present embodiment is providedwith a graphics performance, an effect performance, or the like by theHTML description, and is capable of providing an overlay display with abroadcast program screen on the video image display unit 173. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 13A, a broadcast cooperation application unit173 c 1 which displays information such as weather forecast, news, orthe like is overlaid and displayed at a desired position on thebroadcast program screen 173 c. The broadcast cooperation applicationunit 173 c 1 is constituted by a first main object 173 c 2, a secondmain object 173 c 3, a third main object 173 c 4, a background object173 c 5, or the like. Other objects may be further displayed.

In a state where the broadcast cooperation application unit 173 c 1 isoverlaid and displayed on the broadcast program screen 173 c, byselecting a data key 741 a 8 of basic screen 741 a of the cooperationcontrol application, the execution of the broadcast cooperationapplication can be terminated to move to a data broadcast screen.Moreover, by selecting the cooperation application key 741 a 9 of thebasic screen 741 a of the cooperation control application, the executionof the broadcast cooperation application can be terminated to return tothe display of only the broadcast program screen 173 c. Theabove-mentioned processes may be achieved by using different operationkeys.

Moreover, in a state where the broadcast cooperation application unit173 c 1 is overlaid and displayed on the broadcast program screen 172 c,by operating the respective operation keys of the basic screen 741 a ofthe cooperation control application, the transmittance of the broadcastcooperation application unit 173 c 1 can be altered. The alteringprocess of the transmittance may be carried out collectively on theentire broadcast cooperation application unit 173 c 1 or may be carriedout independently on the first main object 173 c 2, the second mainobject 173 c 3, the third main object 173 c 4, and the background object173 c 5. The altering process of the transmittance may also be carriedout on each of predetermined groups (for example, a plurality of objectsthat are present in the same graphics layer).

Upon carrying out the altering process of the transmittance, forexample, an object is selected by using the cursor key 741 ac of thebasic screen 741 a of the cooperation control application, and thetransmittance of the object is increased by the “blue” key of the colorkeys 741 ae, or the transmittance of the object is reduced by the“yellow” key. The altering process of the transmittance may be carriedout by using different operation keys. By collectively setting thetransmittance of the entire broadcast cooperation application unit 173 c1 to 100%, the broadcast cooperation application unit 173 c 1 can betemporarily set to a non-display state. For example, in a case in whichan emergency broadcast is delivered by a broadcast wave, by setting thetransmittance of the entire broadcast cooperation application unit to100%, only the broadcast program screen of the emergency broadcast canbe displayed on the video image display unit 173. Alternatively, a CMdetection unit, not shown, detects that a broadcast program is moved toCM video images from the main video images to control the transmittanceof the broadcast cooperation application unit 173 c 1 in such away thatthe transmittance of the entire broadcast cooperation application unit173 c 1 is collectively set to 100% (or to a transmittance that allowsthe video images of the broadcast program to be clearly checked).

By carrying out the above-mentioned processes, when the user wants toconfirm a broadcast program screen located on the background during theexecution of the broadcast cooperation application, it becomes possibleto confirm the broadcast program screen without terminating thebroadcast cooperation application.

FIG. 13B is a screen display view showing one example different from theabove-mentioned example and of a broadcast cooperation applicationexecution screen displayed in the process of S108 in FIG. 7A, theprocess of S213 in FIG. 7B, the process of S314 in FIG. 7C, the processof S615 in FIG. 9, or the like. In the example shown in FIG. 13B, abroadcast cooperation application unit 173 c 6 for introducing arecommended program is overlaid and displayed at a desired position onthe broadcast program screen 173 c. In the broadcast cooperationapplication unit 173 c 6, first recommended program information 173 c 7,second recommended program information 173 c 8, third recommendedprogram information 173 c 9, and the like are displayed. A more numberof pieces of recommended program information may be displayed by usingscrolling, page switching, or the like.

Each piece of the recommended program information may be information ofa program recommended relating to the broadcast program (broadcastprogram screen 173 c) currently displayed, information of a programrecommended based on viewing history of the user, or information of aprogram that is popular on the Internet or the like. It may beinformation of a recommended program sent to the user by a friend of theuser of the broadcast receiver 100. Moreover, the above-mentionedrecommended program may be a program transmitted by a broadcast wave bythe digital broadcast service or may be a VOD (Video On Demand) programor the like delivered by each of the server devices on the Internet 200.It may be an information screen of a homepage or the like prepared in aserver device on the Internet 200.

In a state where the broadcast cooperation application unit 173 c 6 isoverlaid and displayed on the broadcast program screen 173 c, the firstrecommended program information 173 c 7, the second recommended programinformation 173 c 8, the third recommended program information 173 c 9,or the like are selected by using the cursor key 741 ac and the enterkey 741 ad of the basic screen 741 a of the cooperation controlapplication, so that video images of each of the respective programsrecommended by the first recommended program information 173 c 7, thesecond recommended program information 173 c 8, the third recommendedprogram information 173 c 9, or the like are displayed on the displayunit 173.

FIG. 13C is a screen display view showing one example in which a programvideo image recommended by the broadcast cooperation application unit173 c 6 for introducing the recommended program is displayed. Forexample, in a case in which the first recommended program information173 c 7 of the broadcast cooperation application unit 173 c 6 isselected by using the cursor key 741 ac and the enter key 741 ad of thebasic screen 741 a of the cooperation control application, a programvideo image 173 ca of a program recommended by the first recommendedprogram information 173 c 7 is displayed on the display unit 173. Theuser operates the operation terminal in such away that a temporary stop,a time specified jump, or the like of the program video image 173 ca canbe carried out. Moreover, upon displaying the program video image 173ca, the previous broadcast program screen 173 c may be displayed at adesired position in a PIP (Picture In Picture) format. In this case,alternation may be made as to which screen of the program video image173 ca of the recommended program and the previous broadcast programscreen 173 c is set as the main screen by the operation of the user ontothe operation terminal. The size of the window of the previous broadcastprogram screen 173 c may be adjusted by the operation of the user ontothe operation terminal.

Moreover, when an icon display 173 cb indicating that the video image173 ca of the recommended program is an video image displayed byselecting any one of the pieces of the recommended program informationdisplayed in the broadcast cooperation application unit 173 c 6 isdisplayed at a desired position on the screen, usability for the usercan be improved. Furthermore, it is needless to say that also in thebroadcast cooperation application execution screen shown in FIG. 13B,the transmittance of the broadcast cooperation application unit 173 c 6may be altered in the same manner as described earlier.

FIG. 13D is a screen display view showing one example different from theabove-mentioned example and of the broadcast cooperation applicationexecution screen displayed in the process of S108 in FIG. 7A, theprocess of S213 in FIG. 7B, the process of S314 in FIG. 7C, the processof S615 in FIG. 9, or the like. In the example shown in FIG. 13D, at adesired position on the broadcast program screen 173 c, a broadcastcooperation application unit 173 cc forming a portal of an SNS (SocialNetworking Service) service is overlaid and displayed. In the broadcastcooperation application unit 173 cc, an entry button 173 cd of a firstSNS service, an entry button 173 ce of a second SNS service, an entrybutton 173 cf of a third SNS service, and the like are displayed. Moreentry buttons for the SNS service may be displayed by using scrolling,page switching, or the like.

In a state where the broadcast cooperation application unit 173 cc isoverlaid and displayed on the broadcast program screen 173 c, the entrybutton 173 cd of the first SNS service, the entry button 173 ce of thesecond SNS service, the entry button 173 cf of the third SNS service, orthe like are selected by using the cursor key 741 ac and the enter key741 ad of the basic screen 741 a of the cooperation control application,so that functions assigned to the respective entry buttons such as achat function, a bulletin board function, an Internet telephonefunction, and the like, are activated. Thus, the user is allowed toenjoy the broadcast program (broadcast program screen 173 c) currentlydisplayed, while exchanging information with other people. Moreover, atthe same time, the basic screen 741 a of the cooperation controlapplication on the portable information terminal 700 may be altered to acharacter input screen such as a software keyboard or the like, an audioinput screen for chatting by audio input or writing in a bulletin board,or the like.

Furthermore, as a broadcast cooperation application executable in thebroadcast receiver 100 of the present embodiment, in addition to theabove-mentioned example, such a configuration may be used in which arelated CM application is offered on both of the broadcast receiver 100and the portable information terminal 700 further in synchronism with abroadcast timing of the CM, by utilizing the cooperative functionbetween the broadcast receiver 100 and the portable information terminal700. Alternatively, in a pay service available in the broadcast receiver100, the broadcast cooperation application confirms whether or not theuser of the broadcast receiver 100 subscribes the pay service, and inaccordance with the result thereof, the display of the broadcastreceiver 100 and/or the portable information terminal 700 may bealtered. In the broadcast receiver 100 of the present embodiment, evenwhen any of the broadcast cooperation applications are executed, theeffects as described with reference to FIG. 13A, FIG. 13B, and the likecan be obtained.

[Error Display Screen of Broadcast Receiver]

FIG. 14 is a screen display view showing an example of an error displayscreen that is given in the process of S105 in FIG. 7A, the process ofS207 in FIG. 7B, the process of S308 in FIG. 7C, the process of S605 inFIG. 8C, or the like, in a case in which it is determined that theexecution of the broadcast cooperation application is not possible byconfirming an application profile 904 of the acquired AIT data row orthe like, for example, in a case in which the description of the AIT isinsufficient, or in a case in which acquisition of the AIT fails.

In the broadcast receiver 100 of the present embodiment, when it isdetermined that the execution of the broadcast cooperation applicationis not possible, the reason that the execution of the broadcastcooperation application is not possible such as the result of confirmingthe application profile 904, is displayed on an error message 173 d 1.For example, when after the confirmation of the application profile 904,the result shows that a predetermined optional function is insufficienton the television receiver side, the corresponding fact is displayed inthe error message 173 d 1. In this case, an error code and a guide (URLor the like) of the homepage of the television receiver maker on whichthe explanation of the error code is written may be displayed.Alternatively, in a case in which a broadcast cooperation application isacquired from the network, the connection status of the network ispreliminarily confirmed as a matter of course, and at this time, forexample, when acquisition of the broadcast cooperation application isnot possible due to a connection failure of the LAN cable or the like,the corresponding fact is displayed on the error message 173 d 1. In acase in which, although the network connection is established, theacquisition of the broadcast cooperation application is not correctlycarried out due to a deteriorated error status, for example, the errormessage 173 d 1 may be displayed. The error message 173 d 1 may also bedisplayed in a case in which during the execution of the acquisition ofa broadcast cooperation application, the broadcast cooperationapplication has not yet been executable. Moreover, the error message 173d 1 may also be displayed in a case in which information such as the AITcannot be received because the receiving status of the broadcast wavebecomes unstable although the information such as the AIT has beenreceived at first. Note that, in this case, if the broadcast cooperationapplication acquired from the respective server devices is cached as itis, the application can be used as it is after the recovery of thereceiving status of the broadcast wave.

Moreover, in a case in which, as the result of the confirmation of theapplication profile 904, a predetermined optional function isinsufficient on the television receiver side, a display for recommendingthe confirmation of a newest firmware for the television receiver or theupdate thereof may be shown in the error message 173 d 1. Alternatively,the broadcast receiver 100 may be designed to automatically carry outthe confirmation of the newest firmware or the update thereof.Alternatively, in a case in which the broadcast cooperation applicationcan be executed by adding pay optional hardware or optional software tothe television receiver, the guide to the corresponding pay optionalhardware or optional software may be displayed. Note that the errormessage 173 d 1 may be displayed not on the broadcast receiver 100, buton the portable information terminal 700.

[Execution Screen of Broadcast Cooperation Application of PortableInformation Terminal]

FIG. 15 is a screen display view showing one example of an executionscreen of a broadcast cooperation application (terminal side) displayedin the process of S619 in FIG. 9. A broadcast cooperation applicationexecution screen 741 c shown in FIG. 15 is constituted by a main window741 c 1, a sub-window 741 c 2, a selection marker 741 c 3, cursor keys741 c 4 and 741 c 5, an explanation display unit 741 c 6, and an endbutton 741 c 7. Other objects may be further added thereto.

In the present embodiment, the broadcast cooperation application(terminal side) to be executed in the portable information terminal 700is an application for confirming a broadcast program currently displayedon the broadcast receiver 100 in detail. Moreover, the same video imageas those of the broadcast program screen currently displayed on thebroadcast receiver 100 is displayed on the main window 741 c 1, and anenlarged video image of a position specified by the selection marker 741c 3 is displayed on the sub-window 741 c 2, respectively. By selectingthe cursor keys 741 c 4 and 741 c 5, the position of the selectionmarker 741 c 3 can be altered. In the explanation display unit 714 c 6,an explanation subtitle sentence in relation to the broadcast programcurrently displayed on the main window 741 c 1 and a comment or the likecontributed by another user relating to the broadcast program aredisplayed. The end button 741 c 7 is a button for terminating theoperation of the broadcast cooperation application (on terminal side).

By operating the broadcast cooperation application (on terminal side) onthe portable information terminal 700, the functional expansion of thebroadcast communication cooperation service by the cooperative operationbetween the broadcast receiver 100 and the portable information terminal700 can be obtained.

[EPG Screen of Broadcast Receiver]

FIG. 16A is a screen display view showing one example of a displayscreen of an electronic program guide (EPG) in the broadcast receiver100 of the present embodiment. An EPG display screen 173 e is a deliveryplanning guide of a broadcast program in a digital broadcast service ofthe present embodiment, which is formed by the main control unit 101based on a program information data row outputted from the firstseparation unit 132. By selecting a program guide key 741 a 7 of thebasic screen 741 a of the cooperation control application, the EPGdisplay screen 173 e is displayed on the video image display unit 173.

In the present embodiment, the EPG display screen 173 e has a matrixshape in which the axis of ordinate is used for displaying time and theaxis of abscissas is used for displaying a service ID (channel), anddetailed information of each broadcast program to be broadcast in eachchannel in each time zone is displayed. As shown in FIG. 16A, thedetailed information 173 e 1 of each broadcast program is mainlycomposed of a title region 173 e 2 and a detailed explanation region 173e 3.

In the title region 173 e 2, the program title of each broadcast programand a symbol or the like showing the attribute of each broadcast programare displayed. The symbol or the like showing the attribute of eachbroadcast program include, for example, a mark formed by symbolizing“New” indicating a new program, a mark formed by symbolizing “Replay”indicating a re-broadcast program, or the like. Alternatively, a markformed by symbolizing “data” indicating a relation applicable to databroadcast by a broadcast service or the like may be used. Moreover, inthe case of a broadcast program in which a broadcast cooperationapplication executable in the broadcast receiver 100 of the presentembodiment is prepared, a mark or the like formed by symbolizing“Linkage” indicating the corresponding fact may be used. The detailedexplanation region 173 e 3 displays related information such as aprogram content and performers of each broadcast program, and URL of ahomepage introducing each broadcast program.

Note that the mark or the like formed by symbolizing the “Linkage” anddisplayed in the title region 173 e 2 may be designed so as not to bedisplayed in a case in which, even though a broadcast cooperationapplication is prepared in the broadcast program, the execution thereofcannot be carried out in the broadcast receiver 100 as the result of theconfirmation of the application profile 904. Moreover, the mark formedby symbolizing “Linkage” indicating that the broadcast program isprovided with an executable broadcast cooperation application anddisplayed in the title region 173 e 2 may be further altered in itscolor, shape, character type, or the like depending on whether or notthe cooperative operation with the portable information terminal ispossible. In a case in which the cooperative operation with the portableinformation terminal is possible, a mark formed by symbolizing “Mobile”may be displayed in combination with the mark formed by symbolizing the“Linkage.”

Note that the presence or absence of displays of the mark formed bysymbolizing the “Linkage” and the mark formed by symbolizing the“Mobile” may be controlled by acquiring information on whether or noteach of the broadcast programs is a broadcast program provided with anexecutable broadcast cooperation application in the broadcast receiver100 of the present embodiment or on whether or not the executablebroadcast cooperation application can be cooperatively operated with aportable information terminal, which has been preliminarily described inEIT information including detailed information or the like of therespective broadcast programs. Alternatively, the information acquiredfrom the program delivery information of a digital broadcast programprepared in the predetermined server device on the Internet 200 may beadded to an electronic program guide formed based on the programinformation data row acquired from a broadcast wave of a digitalbroadcast service.

As described above, by displaying the mark formed by symbolizing the“Linkage” indicating the broadcast program provided with an executablebroadcast cooperation application and the mark formed by symbolizing the“Mobile” indicating that the cooperative operation with a portableterminal device is possible on the EPG display screen 173 e, the user isallowed to easily understand the state of which each broadcast programis applicable to a broadcast communication cooperation service in thebroadcast receiver 100. Note that it is needless to say that the markformed by symbolizing a predetermined character indicating the attributeof each broadcast program may be replaced by the character, a sentence,or the like. By altering the background color of the detailedinformation 173 e 1 of each of the broadcast programs, the state ofwhich each broadcast program is applicable to a broadcast communicationcooperation service may be indicated. Furthermore, the mark formed bysymbolizing the “Linkage,” the mark formed by symbolizing the “Mobile,”and the like may not be displayed in the title region 173 e 2 normally,but may be pop-up displayed only in a case in which each of thebroadcast programs is selected by the program selection cursor 173 e 4.

The broadcast receiver 100 of the present embodiment has functions formaking a viewing reservation and/or a recording reservation for eachbroadcast program on the EPG display screen 173 e. For example, in astate where the EPG display screen 173 e is displayed, the programselection cursor 173 e 4 on the EPG display screen 173 e is moved byusing the cursor key 741 ac of the basic screen 741 a of the cooperationcontrol application, and a desired broadcast program is selected by theenter key 741 ad, so that the viewing reservation and/or the recordingreservation for the selected broadcast program is carried out.

In the above-mentioned process, in a case in which the broadcast programon which the viewing reservation and/or the recording reservation iscarried out is a broadcast program applicable to a broadcastcommunication cooperation service, by using the above-mentioned viewingreservation and/or recording reservation as a trigger, the acquisitionof the broadcast cooperation application prepared for the broadcastprogram may be started without waiting for the broadcast staring time ofthe broadcast program. That is, information (location information suchas URL) for specifying the acquisition source of the broadcastcooperation application is described in the EIT information includingthe detailed information or the like of each broadcast program. Withthis arrangement, the broadcast receiver 100 can acquire the informationof the acquisition source of the broadcast cooperation applicationprepared for each broadcast program at the time when the broadcastprogram is selected by the program selection cursor 173 e 4. Therefore,the broadcast receiver 100 makes it possible to start of an acquisitionof the broadcast cooperation application before the broadcast start timeof the broadcast program.

Note that, in a case in which the broadcast program on which the viewingreservation and/or the recording reservation are carried out is abroadcast program applicable to a broadcast communication cooperationservice, and when it is a broadcast program in which a cooperativeoperation with a portable terminal device is possible, the acquiringprocess of a broadcast cooperation application (terminal side) preparedfor a portable terminal device may also be started before the broadcaststart time of the broadcast program in the same process as describedabove. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 16B, a two-dimensional bar code 173 e5 or the like indicating the information (location information such asURL) of the acquisition source of the broadcast cooperation application(terminal side) prepared for the portable terminal device is displayedon the EPG display screen 173 e so that the user may be encouraged todownload the broadcast cooperation application (terminal side) preparedfor the portable terminal device.

Thus, when the broadcast receiver 100 is designed to start theacquisition of the broadcast cooperation application before thebroadcast start time of the broadcast program by referring to theinformation of the acquisition source of the broadcast cooperationapplication included in the EPG information, it becomes possible todisperse the load of the service provider server 400 for storing thebroadcast cooperation application. Moreover, even when the networkcommunication speed between the service provider server 400 and thebroadcast receiver 100 is insufficient, it becomes possible toeffectively use the broadcast cooperation application immediately afterthe start of the broadcast of the broadcast program.

FIG. 17 is an operation sequence diagram showing one example of anacquiring sequence of the broadcast cooperation application in a case inwhich the viewing reservation and/or recording reservation of thebroadcast program is carried out on the EPG display screen 173 e.

While viewing the digital broadcast service, the main control unit 101of the broadcast receiver 100 acquires a program information data rowoutputted from the first separation unit 132 (S701). When the user givesan activation request for the EPG screen by using the operation terminal(S702), the EPG display screen 173 e is displayed on the video imagedisplay unit 173 (S703). When the user selects a desired broadcastprogram by using the operation terminal on the EPG display screen 173 eand carries out the viewing reservation and/or recording reservation ofthe broadcast program (S704), the main control unit 101 confirms theprogram information data row acquired from the first separation unit 132(S705), and further confirms the location of the acquisition source ofthe broadcast cooperation application that is in cooperation with thebroadcast program on which the viewing reservation and/or the recordingreservation are carried out (S706).

After the process of S706, the application control unit 161 transmits atransmission request for the broadcast cooperation application to thepredetermined service provider server 400, via the LAN communicationunit 121 based on the confirmed URL (S707). Upon receipt of thetransmission request for the broadcast cooperation application, theservice provider service 400 carries out an authentication process ofthe broadcast receiver 100, if necessary, based on control of theapplication managing/distributing execution unit 4103, and then deliversthe predetermined broadcast cooperation application stored in theapplication storage region 4013 via the LAN communication unit 121(S708). Subsequently, the application control unit 161 caches thepredetermined broadcast cooperation application delivered from theservice provider server 400 and received via the LAN communication unit121 in the RAM 104 or the storage unit 110 (S709).

In accordance with the broadcast receiver 100 of the present embodimentdescribed above, it is possible to execute functions having high addedvalues.

Second Embodiment

In the following, a second embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed. Note that the configuration, effects, and the like of thepresent embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment unlessotherwise stated. Therefore, in the following, difference between thepresent embodiment and the first embodiment is mainly described, andwith respect to common points, the description thereof will be omittedin order to avoid overlapped descriptions.

An embodiment for carrying out a portable information terminalcooperation process (hereinafter, referred to as “terminal cooperation”)is described also in the first embodiment, and the embodiment will bedescribed in more detail.

Upon carrying out a portable information terminal cooperation process,there is a case in which the utilization of the terminal cooperationprocess is desirably limited only to the portable information terminal700 that is present in the same residence as the broadcast receiver 100(hereinafter, this limitation is referred to as “limitation in the sameresidence”). For example, in an application (hereinafter, referred to as“broadcast cooperation application”) for utilizing the broadcastcooperation process, such cases are a case in which the display screenof the broadcast receiver 100 and the display screen of the portableinformation terminal 700 are closely related to each other or a case inwhich advertising video images displayed on the broadcast receiver 100are wanted to be certainly viewed by the user of the portableinformation terminal 700.

Note that the point required to be considered as a step is determinationas to whether or not the target broadcast cooperation applicationimposes the limitation in the same residence. On the assumption that allthe broadcast cooperation applications impose the limitation in the sameresidence, this determination is not necessary; however, in some casesin which no limitation is imposed, the broadcast receiver 100 needs toacquire control information relating to the presence and absence of thelimitation in the same residence and alter the operation step. Thecontrol information relating to the presence or absence of thislimitation may be acquired from a broadcast signal (for example,described as an item of AIT) or may be acquired from a server specifiedby the broadcast station.

Including the above-mentioned step, the step for ensuring that theportable information terminal 700 is present in the same residence asthe broadcast receiver 100 will be described in the present embodiment.

Normally, devices present in the same residence are present on a localnetwork that is connected to the same router device 210. Therefore,since the portable information terminal 700 is connected to the samelocal network as that of the broadcast receiver 100, it is determinedthat they are present in the same residence. Note that determination asto whether or not the target device is connected to the local networkmay be made by using a known method and the description thereof will beomitted.

Moreover, even in the case of a portable information terminal 700 notpresent on a local network, when it is directly communicated with thebroadcast receiver 100 by using NFC, Bluetooth, infrared communication,or the like, the determination may be made that it is present in thesame residence. In this case, the communication for acquiring thebroadcast cooperation application or the like may be carried out by theabove-mentioned direct communication, or may be carried out by using amobile telephone communication.

As described above, a plurality of methods for confirming that thetarget terminal is present in the same residence, and which method isused is, for example, described in AIT and read by the broadcastreceiver 100.

Moreover, if the fact that the portable information terminal 700 ispresent in the same residence is once confirmed, the terminal may beregarded as being present in the same residence until the program ends,or another method may be used in which by setting an effective period oftime (for example, 10 minutes), the terminal is regarded as beingpresent in the same residence within the effective period of time, butafter the effective period of time, the terminal is not regarded asbeing present in the same residence without the confirmation that isnewly made. The effective period of time is described, for example, inthe AIT, and read out by the broadcast receiver 100.

Moreover, still another method may be used in which, for example, at adesired point of time during the progress of a program, an event signalis set in a broadcast signal, and each time the event signal isreceived, the fact that the portable information terminal 700 is presentin the same residence is confirmed.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned two methods may be used in combination.

Next, a specific step in which only the portable information terminal700 that is present in the same residence is permitted to carry out theterminal cooperation will be described. In the present embodiment, whenthe portable information terminal 700 acquires a broadcast cooperationapplication or when the portable information terminal 700 acquiresinformation to be used in the broadcast cooperation application, alimitation is set (broadcast cooperation application and information tobe used in the broadcast cooperation application, specifically, HTMLdocument, streaming video images, or the like, referred to collectivelyas broadcast cooperation information, hereinafter). There are two kindsof the method of acquiring broadcast cooperation information; that is, acommunication acquiring method for acquiring from the broadcast stationserver 300 or the service provider server 400, and a broadcast acquiringmethod for acquiring from a broadcast wave. The communication acquiringmethod includes two kinds of methods, that is, a method for acquiringafter the start of a broadcast receiving process, and a method foracquiring before the start of the broadcast receiving process. Moreover,the communication acquiring method includes two kinds of cases, that is,a case in which after the broadcast receiver 100 once receives theinformation, the portable information terminal 700 acquires from thebroadcast receiver 100, and a case in which the portable informationterminal 700 directly acquires from the broadcast station server 300 orthe service provider server 400. Although there are various kinds ofmethods, when seen from the portable information terminal 700, there aremainly two cases, that is, a case in which the portable informationterminal 700 acquires from the broadcast receiver 100 and a case inwhich the portable information terminal 700 acquires from the broadcaststation server 300 or the service provider server 400.

In the present embodiment, the case in which the portable informationterminal 700 acquires the broadcast cooperation information from thebroadcast receiver 100 will be described, and the case in which thebroadcast cooperation information is acquired from the server will bedescribed in the next embodiment.

FIG. 18A shows steps of the present embodiment.

First, prior to carrying out a terminal cooperation, cooperation controlapplications that control the terminal cooperation are preliminarilyactivated in the portable information terminal 700 and the broadcastreceiver 100, respectively (S10001, S10002). In this state, the portableinformation terminal 700 makes a terminal cooperation request to thebroadcast receiver 100 (S10003). Next, AIT is acquired from a broadcastsignal (S10004). From this AIT information, determination is made as towhether or not the application for a target portable informationterminal has the limitation in the same residence (S10006), and when theapplication has the limitation, the process proceeds to a step S10008,and in a first stage in which the terminal cooperation request isreceived, the process proceeds to a step S10009 to determine whether ornot the portable information terminal 700 making the terminalcooperation request is present in the same residence as the broadcastreceiver 100 (S10009). When it is determined that the portableinformation terminal 700 is not present in the same residence as thebroadcast receiver 100, a response that cooperation is not allowed isgiven to the cooperation control application on the portable informationterminal side, thereby terminating the process (S10011).

Here, in a case in which all the terminal cooperation applications areassumed to have the limitation in the same residence, the step in S10006is skipped without carrying out the determination. In a case in whichthere is a possibility that an application having the limitation in thesame residence and an application without the limitation in the sameresidence are present, the determination in S10006 is carried out.

In a case in which the portable information terminal 700 is present inthe same residence or the application does not have the limitation inthe same residence, the process proceeds to S10012, and a broadcastcooperation application related service is carried out. In this service(S10012), a broadcast cooperation information delivery request from theportable information terminal 700 is processed (S10013), and thebroadcast cooperation information is delivered to the portableinformation terminal 700 (S10018). The broadcast cooperation informationincludes information delivered to the broadcast receiver 100 from thedelivery server (S10014, S10015, and S10016), information acquired froma broadcast signal (S10017), information stored in the broadcastreceiver 100, and the like. Receiving (S10016 and S10017) the broadcastcooperation information by the broadcast receiver 100 may be not onlycarried out based on receiving the broadcast cooperation informationdelivery request from the portable information terminal 700 (S10013),but also may be autonomously carried out by the broadcast receiver 100or may be carried out based on an event occurrence in the broadcastsignal. Moreover, the delivery of the broadcast cooperation informationto the portable information terminal 700 (S10018) may also bespontaneously carried out from the broadcast receiver 100 side.

After a series of steps of receiving (acquiring) and delivering thebroadcast related information, determination is made as to whether ornot the broadcast receiver 100 continues to view the same program(S10019), and if the broadcast receiver 100 does not continue to view, aresponse that cooperation is not allowed is given to the cooperationcontrol application on the portable information terminal side, therebyterminating the process (S10020).

If the viewing is continuously carried out, the process returns to thestep S10005, and when the application has the limitation in the sameresidence, confirmation is made as to whether or not the portableinformation terminal 700 is present in the same residence as thebroadcast receiver 100 (S10009); in this case, determination is made asto whether or not the predetermined effective period of time has elapsedafter the previous confirmation or as to whether or not a confirmationrequest (S10007) from the broadcast signal or the delivery server isgenerated (S10008) after the previous confirmation, and if neither ofthe conditions are satisfied, the process proceeds to the execution ofthe next broadcast cooperation application related service (S10012) byway of step S10010 without carrying out the confirmation as to whetheror not the terminal is present in the same residence (S10009). Here, theconfirmation request (S10008) from the broadcast signal is described asbeing acquired from the broadcast cooperation information; however, inthis case, an event message is also described as being included in thebroadcast cooperation information. Moreover, this confirmation requestmay be described in the AIT.

Note that the steps described above are steps in a loop processincluding a broadcast signal, the broadcast receiver 100, the portableinformation terminal 700 and the entire delivery server, within asection indicated by an arrow of S10022. The confirmation request ofS10007 may be made at any timing within the loop.

Moreover, the authentication information described in the AIT may beincorporated in an authentication key to be used for the authentication(S10015) in the delivery server. Thus, the authentication request isconfirmed to be a valid request. Moreover, by using an arrangement inwhich the authentication information described in the AIT is altered inaccordance with the progress of the program, and the authenticationserver does not carry out the authentication unless an authenticationkey formed by incorporating information that is in synchronization withthe progress of the program is used, it is possible to confirm that thesame program is being continuously viewed. In this case, the informationof the AIT is read and updated appropriately (S10021). Note that, inthis case, the authentication information to be incorporated in thebroadcast signal may be incorporated as broadcast cooperationinformation, in addition to being described in the AIT. Moreover, as themethod for actually altering the authentication information, a methodfor continuously altering the URL itself of the delivery server inaccordance with the progress of a program may be used.

In this manner, by confirming whether or not the portable informationterminal 700 is present in the same residence as the broadcast receiver100, while executing the broadcast cooperation application relatedservice (S10012), for every predetermined effective period of time, oreach time the broadcast signal is given or the confirmation request fromthe delivery server is made, it is possible to appropriately execute thebroadcast related application having the limitation in the sameresidence. Moreover, by using the authentication informationincorporated in the broadcast signal for the authentication in thedelivery server, it is possible to ensure the validity of the deliveryrequest, and by altering the authentication information of the broadcastsignal appropriately, it is possible to confirm that the same program isbeing continuously viewed.

In accordance with the portable information terminal cooperationtechnique related to the present embodiment described above, thelimitation in the same residence can be achieved in a portableinformation terminal in cooperation with the broadcast receiver.

Third Embodiment

In the present embodiment, a case in which the portable terminal 700acquires broadcast cooperation information from a delivery server willbe described.

FIG. 18B shows steps of the present embodiment.

First, prior to carrying out a terminal cooperation, in the portableinformation terminal 700 and the broadcast receiver 100, cooperationcontrol applications that are applications for controlling the terminalcooperation are preliminarily activated (S10101 and S10102),respectively. In this state, the portable information terminal 700 makesa terminal cooperation request to the broadcast receiver 100 (S10103).Next, AIT is acquired from a broadcast signal (S10104). From this AITinformation, information such as URL relating to the delivery server isacquired, and the information is transmitted to the portable informationterminal 700 (S10105). Next, a time confirmation request is made fromthe broadcast receiver 100 to the delivery server (S10106), and based onthis request, time information is transmitted from the delivery serverto the broadcast receiver 100 (S10107). Thus, an authentication key forthe subsequent steps is issued in accordance with the time of thedelivery server (S10115); however, in a case in which no time deviationproblem occurs, this process may be omitted.

Thereafter, a loop control indicated by an arrow of S10127 is started.

First, an issue request for an authentication key or a broadcastcooperation information delivery request is made from the portableinformation terminal 700 to the broadcast receiver 100 (S10109). Theauthentication key is used for the broadcast cooperation informationdelivery request to the delivery server in the subsequent stage(S10125). The broadcast cooperation delivery request in S10109 is adelivery request for information acquired from a broadcast signal, whichcorresponds to a step in S10126 in the subsequent stage.

In any cases, when the request in S10109 is outputted from the portableinformation terminal, determination is made as to whether or not thebroadcast cooperation application has the limitation in the sameresidence (S10111), and if having the limitation, the process proceedsto a step S10112, and if not having the limitation, the process proceedsto S10114 with the step S10112 being skipped. In a case in which all thebroadcast cooperation applications have the limitation in the sameresidence, the process proceeds to S10112 without carrying out thedetermination in S10111. In S10112, determination is made as to whetheror not the portable information terminal that has issued the request ispresent in the same residence, and if not present therein, the terminalcooperation is terminated (S10113). If present in the same residence,the requested sequence, that is, the acquisition of broadcastcooperation information from the delivery server (S10125) or theacquisition of broadcast cooperation information from the broadcastsignal (S10126) is carried out. Since any acquisition from the broadcastsignal may be carried out in addition to the acquisition from thedelivery server, the step S10126 is also described.

First, the acquisition step (S10125) of the broadcast cooperationinformation from the delivery server will be described.

At first, the broadcast receiver 100 issues an authentication keycorresponding to the request from the portable information terminal 700.At this time, the authentication key is made to be effective only for apredetermined period of time (for example, 10 minutes) including thetime information at the time of the issuance. The delivery serverconfirms the authentication information, including whether or not theauthentication key is issued within the effective period of time, and ifthe authentication is OK, the delivery server permits the delivery ofbroadcast cooperation information. Thereafter, within the effectiveperiod of time, delivery of information is permitted, and at the pointof time when the effective period of time has elapsed, the delivery isstopped. For example, after the effective period of time, a streamingvideo image is no longer viewed.

The predetermined effective period of time may be maintained in thedelivery server, or the broadcast receiver 100 may acquire it from thebroadcast signal (for example, AIT), and the information of theeffective period of time may be incorporated in the authentication key.The information of the effective period of time is preliminarilynotified to the portable information terminal 700, so that the issue ofthe authentication key is requested before the effective period of timehas expired. Alternatively, the effective period of time may be managedby the broadcast receiver 100, and before the expiration of theeffective period of time, the authentication key may be automaticallyissued to the portable information terminal 700 from the broadcastreceiver 100 after confirming that the portable information terminal 700is present in the same residence.

The effective period of time may be the same in a single program, or maybe changed in accordance with the progress of the program. Moreover, itmay be designed such that if no setting of the effective period of timeis given, when once authenticated, the authentication is effectiveduring the viewing of the program.

Furthermore, the authentication information described in the AIT may beincorporated in an authentication key to be used in the authentication(S10117) in the delivery server. Thus, the validity of theauthentication request can be confirmed. Moreover, such an arrangementmay be made in which the authentication information described in the AITis altered in accordance with the progress of the program, and theauthentication server does not carry out the authentication unless anauthentication key formed by incorporating information that is insynchronization with the progress of the program is used, so that it ispossible to confirm that the same program is being continuously viewed.In this case, the information of the AIT is read and updatedappropriately (S10024). Note that the authentication information to beincorporated in the broadcast signal may be incorporated as broadcastcooperation information, in addition to being described in the AIT.Further, as the method for actually altering the authenticationinformation, a method for continuously altering the URL itself of thedelivery server in accordance with the progress of the program may beused. Note that the alteration of the URL in this case corresponds to acase in which the delivery server is the same with a different entrance;however, by an alteration of the broadcast cooperation application orthe like, the delivery server may be altered to new one. In this case,each time the alteration is made, steps such as the transmission of thedelivery server information (S10105), the time confirmation request(S10106), and the transmission of time information (S10107) are carriedout.

Next, the step (S10126) for acquiring broadcast cooperation informationfrom a broadcast signal will be described.

In this case, after confirming that the portable information terminal700 is present in the same residence, the broadcast receiver 100acquires broadcast cooperation information from a broadcast signal(S10119) and subsequently delivers the information to the portableinformation terminal 700 (S10120).

Note that, in a case in which the broadcast cooperation information isaltered in accordance with the progress of the program, a notificationof the alteration is issued from the broadcast signal (S10110), and thebroadcast cooperation information may be acquired by using thenotification as a trigger. In this case, if the acquisition is made fromthe delivery server, an authentication key is issued from the broadcastreceiver 100 to the portable information terminal (S10115), and thepresence of the alteration notification is notified. If the acquisitionis made within the effective period of time, the issuance of theauthentication key may be omitted, so that only the notification ofalternation may be made. In the case of acquisition from the broadcastsignal, the broadcast receiver 100 acquires the information (S10120) anddelivers the information to the portable information terminal (S10120).Note that, in the case of the acquisition from the broadcast signal, theconfirmation as to whether or not the portable information terminal 700is present in the same residence may be carried out each time thealteration notification is issued, or as in the case of the secondembodiment, if the acquisition is made within the effective period oftime, the confirmation may be omitted. Here, the alternationnotification (S10110) from the broadcast signal is described as beingacquired from the broadcast cooperation information; however, in thiscase, an event message is also described as being included in thebroadcast cooperation information. Moreover, the alteration notificationmay be described in the AIT.

After a series of steps of receiving (acquiring) and delivering thebroadcast related information, determination is made as to whether ornot the broadcast receiver 100 continues to view the same program(S10121), and if the broadcast receiver 100 does not continue to view, aresponse that cooperation is not allowed is given to the cooperationcontrol application on the portable information terminal side, therebyterminating the process (S10123). If the viewing is continuously carriedout, the process returns to S10108, and the loop process of S10127 iscontinued.

Thus, the time information is included in an authentication key to beused for the authentication in the delivery server, and the effectiveperiod of time is managed, so that it is possible to regularly confirmwhether or not the portable information terminal 700 is present in thesame residence as the broadcast receiver 100 and a broadcast relatedapplication having the limitation in the same residence can be executedappropriately. Moreover, by using authentication informationincorporated in a broadcast signal for the authentication in thedelivery server, the validity for the delivery request can be ensured,and by altering the authentication information of a broadcast signalappropriately, the fact that the same program is continuously viewed canalso be confirmed.

In accordance with the portable information terminal cooperationtechnique relating to the present embodiment described above, even whenthe portable information terminal in cooperation with the broadcastreceiver acquires broadcast cooperation information from the deliveryserver, the limitation in the same residence can also be achieved.

Fourth Embodiment

In the second and third embodiments, steps of achieving the limitationin the same residence in the terminal cooperation are described;however, depending on a broadcast cooperation application, the use fromthe outside of the residence may be permitted. In the presentembodiment, such a case will be described. For example, in a case inwhich a program itself forms publication and advertisement such astelevision shopping or the like, it becomes more desirable for thebroadcast provider to be able to use the broadcast cooperationapplication irrespective of the inside or outside of the residence. Inthe case of such a program, the use of the broadcast cooperationapplication may be allowed, irrespective of whether or not the portableinformation terminal 700 is present in the residence, as long as theregistration is once made in the broadcast receiver 100. In this case,when there is a broadcast cooperation application which forms broadcastvideo images themselves into streaming data and delivers the data fromthe broadcast receiver 100 to the portable information terminal 700byway of the Internet, the convenience thereof is further improved. Thestreaming data may be encoded in the broadcast receiver 100 to protectthe copyright. Information on whether or not the broadcast cooperationapplication permits the use thereof from the outside of the residence,including the delivery of the broadcast video images to the outside ofthe residence, is described in data (for example, AIT) inside thebroadcast signal.

FIG. 18C shows specific steps. Since some steps are in common with thoseof the second and third embodiments, descriptions of the overlappedportions with those of the second and third embodiments will be omitted.In a case in which there is a terminal cooperation request (S10203) fromthe outside of the residence, if the use of the application outside theresidence is permitted, the broadcast receiver 100 confirms whether ornot the source of request is a portable information terminal that hasbeen registered (S10205) and then permits the cooperation. In this case,if necessary, an authentication may be carried out between the portableinformation terminal 700 and the broadcast receiver 100 in order toprotect the copyright of the broadcast video images and broadcastcooperation information (S10207). At this time, the authentication maybe carried out as an authentication in the authentication server(S10207). Information on necessity/unnecessity for the copyrightprotection and information on the authentication method for thecopyright protection (supposed to be described, for example, in AIT) areacquired from the broadcast signal, and the control is carried out inaccordance with the information. In a case in which no such informationis stored in the broadcast signal, a specific method predetermined inthe broadcast receiver 100 is carried out. For example, a givencopyright protection process predetermined therein may be carried out.Moreover, it may be predetermined that when no such information isstored in the broadcast signal, no copyright protection process iscarried out in the broadcast receiver 100.

Specific examples (1) to (4) of authentication for protecting thecopyright will be described in the following. In the followingauthentication processes, only each one of them may be carried out.Alternatively, a plurality of the authentication processes exemplifiedbelow may be carried out in combination. Moreover, the authenticationexemplified below and another authentication process not exemplifiedbelow may be combined with each other and carried out.

(1) Authentication by ID and Password

Upon registering the portable information terminal 700 in the broadcastreceiver 100, an ID and a password are issued, and the broadcastreceiver 100 permits the cooperation based on the confirmation of the IDand the password.

(2) Use of Encryption Key

In addition to the authentication using the above-mentioned ID andpassword, an encryption key for decoding encoded video image data or thelike is transmitted from the broadcast receiver 100 to the portableinformation terminal. This encryption key may be acquired from thebroadcast signal (for example, described in the AIT).

(3) Utilization of Authentication Server

A method of issuing the encryption key for decoding encoded video imagesand the like from the delivery server. The portable information terminal700 transmits the ID and the password to the delivery server to acquirean encryption key. In this case, by acquiring the location information(specifically, URL) of the delivery server from the broadcast signal(for example, described in the AIT), and by transmitting this locationinformation from the broadcast receiver 100 to the portable informationterminal 700, security is further improved. Since the video images andthe like are not decoded unless the portable information terminal 700acquires the encryption key, the authentication of the copyrightprotection may be carried out by requesting the authentication in thedelivery server from the broadcast receiver 100, or the authenticationmay be terminated by notifying the acquisition of the encryption keyfrom the portable information terminal 700 to the broadcast receiver100. Note that these processes may be charged by the delivery server.

(4) Mutual Authentication of Encryption Key

By mutually authenticating encryption keys respectively possessed by thebroadcast receiver 100 and the portable information terminal 700 to beconfirmed, the authentication of the copyright protection is executed.

In a case in which information stored in the broadcast signal indicatesthe necessity of the copyright protection by a predetermined method, ifno authentication of the copyright protection is carried out by thepredetermined method, the terminal cooperation is not permitted.Moreover, in a case in which, since no specification is given to thebroadcast signal, the authentication is carried out by the predeterminedmethod of the broadcast receiver 100, if no authentication of thecopyright protection is possible by the predetermined method, theterminal cooperation is not permitted.

In a case in which the terminal cooperation is permitted, thereafter,without carrying out the confirmation as to whether or not the portableinformation terminal 700 is present in the same residence, a delivery ofthe broadcast cooperation information to the portable informationterminal 700 (S10217) and the issuance of an authentication key for thedelivery server (S10212) are carried out in accordance with a requestfrom the portable information terminal 700 (S10211), an autonomouscontrol of the broadcast receiver 100, and a request from the broadcastsignal (S10210). Note that, in this case, it is not necessary to carryout a control with the effective period of time set therein. Theportable information terminal 700 which is present outside the residenceacquires broadcast cooperation information from the broadcast receiver100, or from the delivery server by using an authentication key issuedtherefrom (S10215). Alternatively, by incorporating authenticationinformation (for example, described in the AIT) acquired from thebroadcast signal into an authentication key issued by the broadcastreceiver 100, the delivery server permits an access with theauthentication key into which the authentication information acquiredfrom the broadcast signal is incorporated, so that utilization outsidethe residence can be further optimized.

Moreover, there are some cases in which the limitless use of thebroadcast cooperation application had better not be permitted such as acase in which a discount is offered as a premier for viewing a program.In such a case, another method is preferably used in which anauthentication is once carried out in a state where the portableinformation terminal is present in the same residence and then the useof the delivery server is permitted even when the portable informationterminal is not present in the same residence. In this case, theregistering of the portable information terminal 700 in the broadcastreceiver 100 is not required.

FIG. 18D shows specific steps in this case. Since some steps in thesequence are in common with those shown in FIG. 18C, the description ofthe overlapped portions will be omitted. First, in a state where theportable information terminal 700 is present in the same residence asthe broadcast receiver 100, a terminal cooperation request is made fromthe portable information terminal 700 to the broadcast receiver 100, andafter confirming that the portable information terminal 700 is presentin the same residence (S10305), the broadcast receiver 100 permits thecooperation. In this case, if necessary, authentication may be executedbetween the portable information terminal 700 and the broadcast receiver100 in order to protect the copyright about the broadcast cooperationinformation (S10307). At this time, the corresponding authentication maybe carried out in an outside authentication server. Information onnecessity/unnecessity for the copyright protection and information onthe authentication method for the copyright protection (supposed to bedescribed, for example, in AIT) are acquired from the broadcast signal,and the control is carried out in accordance with the information. In acase in which no such information is stored in the broadcast signal, aspecific method predetermined in the broadcast receiver 100 is carriedout. For example, a given copyright protection process predeterminedtherein may be carried out. Moreover, it may be predetermined that whenno such information is stored in the broadcast signal, no copyrightprotection process is carried out in the broadcast receiver 100.

Specific examples (5) to (7) of authentication for protecting thecopyright will be described. In the following authentication processes,only each one of them may be carried out. Alternatively, a plurality ofthe authentication processes exemplified below may be carried out incombination. Moreover, the authentication exemplified below and anotherauthentication process not exemplified below may be combined with eachother and carried out.

(5) Use of Encryption Key

In a state where the portable information terminal 700 is present in thesame residence, an encryption key for decoding encoded video image dataor the like is transmitted from the broadcast receiver 100 to theportable information terminal. This encryption key may be acquired fromthe broadcast signal (for example, described in the AIT). Theauthentication is executed by transferring this encryption key insidethe same residence. Moreover, when such an arrangement is made so as notto acquire an encryption key from the broadcast signal unless theacquisition is made during a specific time in a program, while thedelivery of the encryption key to the portable information terminal 700is limited in the same residence, it is possible to set a limitationthat a person needs to stay in the same residence at the correspondingtime, so that this arrangement is also utilized for offering a premierfor the viewing.

(6) Utilization of Delivery Server

A method of issuing the encryption key for decoding encoded video imagesand the like from a delivery server. The portable information terminal700 transmits the ID and the password to the delivery server to acquirean encryption key. In this case, by acquiring the location information(specifically, URL) of the delivery server from the broadcast signal(for example, described in the AIT), and by transmitting this locationinformation from the broadcast receiver 100 to the portable informationterminal 700, security is further improved. Since the video images andthe like are not decoded unless the portable information terminal 700acquires the encryption key, the authentication of the copyrightprotection may be carried out by requesting the authentication in thedelivery server from the broadcast receiver 100, or the authenticationmay be terminated by notifying the acquisition of the encryption keyfrom the portable information terminal 700 to the broadcast receiver100. The access to the delivery server may be carried out inside theresidence or outside the residence; however, when such an arrangement ismade so as not to acquire location information of the delivery serverfrom the broadcast signal unless the accessing is made during a specifictime in a program, while the delivery of the location information to theportable information terminal 700 is limited in the same residence, itis possible to set a limitation that a person needs to stay in the sameresidence at the corresponding time, so that this arrangement is alsoutilized for offering a premier for the viewing. Note that theseprocesses may be charged by the delivery server.

(7) Mutual Authentication of Encryption Key

By mutually authenticating encryption keys respectively possessed by thebroadcast receiver 100 and the portable information terminal 700 to beconfirmed, the authentication of the copyright protection is executed.This authentication may also be carried out either the inside theresidence or outside the residence.

In a case in which information stored in the broadcast signal indicatesthe necessity of the copyright protection by a predetermined method, ifno authentication of copyright protection is carried out by thepredetermined method, the terminal cooperation is not permitted.Moreover, in a case in which, since no specification is given to thebroadcast signal, the authentication is carried out by the predeterminedmethod of the broadcast receiver 100, if no authentication of thecopyright protection is possible by the predetermined method, theterminal cooperation is not permitted. Since after the permission of theterminal cooperation, the same sequence of processes as those of FIG.18C are carried out, the description thereof will be omitted.

In accordance with the portable information terminal cooperationtechnique relating to the present embodiment described above, withrespect to a portable information terminal to be cooperated with abroadcast receiver, the utilization from the outside of the residencecan be achieved, while taking into consideration the copyrightprotection.

Fifth Embodiment

In an actual usage status, it is desirable to easily recognize thepresence or absence of a terminal cooperation application depending onprograms and which terminal cooperation application can be utilized. Inthe present embodiment, description will be given to a display method ofa status in which a terminal cooperation application can be utilized.

FIG. 19A shows an example of a launcher screen (173 b 11) for abroadcast cooperation application in a case in which terminalcooperation applications are present. The broadcast cooperationapplications are indicated by character icons with frames. Broadcastcooperation applications (173 b 12 to 173 b 14) for the broadcastreceiver 100 in cooperation with a program currently viewed andbroadcast cooperation applications (173 b 15 to 173 b 17) for theportable information terminal are displayed. In the case of thisexample, statuses of the applications are indicated by the thickness ofeach frame line surrounding a character row and the coloring of theinside of the frame. Main body applications A and B (173 b 12 and 173 b13) and terminal applications A and B (173 b 15 and 173 b 16) are in astate in which utilization is possible, and a main body application C(173 b 14) and a terminal application C (173 b 17) are in a state inwhich utilization is impossible. The state in which utilization of theterminal application is impossible means that among portable informationterminals 700 that are in communicable states with the broadcastreceiver 100, no portable information terminal having a function forexecuting the corresponding application is present.

FIG. 19B shows a screen after the terminal application A has beenselected in FIG. 19A. States of respective portable informationterminals 700 relating to the terminal application A are shown. Theportable information terminals displayed on the screen are the terminalsthat are registered as to whether or not they have performed cooperationwith the broadcast receiver 100 in the past.

A portable terminal 1 (173 b 22) and a portable terminal 2 (173 b 23),each having an icon whose frame line is indicated by a solid line, arein a communicable state with the broadcast receiver 100, while aportable terminal 3 (173 b 24) and a portable terminal 4 (173 b 25),each having an icon whose frame line is indicated by a dotted line, arenot in a communicable state. Moreover, the portable terminal 1 (173 b22) and the portable terminal 3 (173 b 24), each having the icon theinside of the frame of which is white, have a function for executing theterminal application A, while the portable terminal 2 (173 b 23) and theportable terminal 4 (173 b 25), each having the icon the inside of theframe of which is gray, do not have the function for executing theterminal application A. Moreover, in a case in which the application isbeing executed in the corresponding terminal, an icon having a designindicating the fact may be used.

Moreover, in a case in which a picture pattern is utilized for the icon,since the icon becomes recognizable more visually, the following examplewill be described next.

FIG. 19C shows an example of a launcher screen (173 b 31) showing a listof broadcast cooperation applications. Icons are shown in a mannerclassified by types of the portable information terminal 700 in additionto the broadcast receiver 100. Each of reference numerals 173 b 32 and173 b 33 shows an icon indicating the broadcast receiver 100, each ofreference numerals 173 b 34 and 173 b 35 shows an icon indicating asmartphone-type portable information terminal 700, and reference numeral173 b 36 shows an icon indicating a head mount display-type portableinformation terminal 700. The respective applications are used fordevices indicated by the icons.

In FIG. 19C, in a case in which the corresponding application is notutilized, a mark (in this case, round mark with a diagonal line)indicating a state in which utilization is impossible is displayed to beoverlapped with the picture pattern of the device. Moreover, withrespect to the broadcast receiver 100, in a case in which thecorresponding application is already being executed, a mark indicatingthis fact (in this case, round mark with a dot in the center) may bedisplayed in an overlapped manner. By using this display, such awasteful operation to move ahead the steps of the launcher in spite ofthe fact that the corresponding application is being executed can beprevented. In the case of the portable information terminal 700, amethod may be used in which a mark indicating “in execution” isdisplayed when all the terminals that are in the communicable state withthe broadcast receiver and capable of executing the correspondingapplication are executing the corresponding application.

FIG. 19D shows a screen (173 b 41) after selection of the application C(173 b 34) in FIG. 19C. The states of the portable information terminals700 corresponding to the application C are shown. In this screen, eachof the marks indicating each of the facts that the portable informationterminal 700 does not have the execution function of the broadcastcooperation application, that it is not in the state communicable withthe broadcast receiver 100, and that it has already been executing thecorresponding broadcast cooperation application, is displayed to beoverlapped with the icon. In this example, a round mark with a diagonalline (173 b 44 and 173 b 46) is shown when it has no executablefunction, a triangle mark with an exclamation mark (173 b 45 and 173 b46) is shown when it is not the communicable state, and a round markwith a dot in the center (173 b 43) is shown when it has already been inexecution, respectively.

Moreover, it is preferable to provide a display method indicating thepresence of a broadcast cooperation application when the situationchanges, without activating the launcher. For example, when a power isactivated, when channels are changed, when alternation of a broadcastcooperation application occurs at the start of a program or even in themiddle of the program, when a change in the communication state betweenthe broadcast receiver 100 and the portable information terminal 700occurs, or when the execution status of the application are changed, theicon is displayed for a predetermined period of time to display thecorresponding state at that time.

FIG. 19E shows an example in this case. In a case in which icons showingthe types of the respective devices are displayed, this state indicatesthat there are broadcast cooperation applications corresponding to thedevices of the respective types. In this case, the round mark with adiagonal line indicates that among the devices of the corresponding typethat are in the usable state, there are no devices capable of executingthe corresponding application thereon. The round mark with a dot in thecenter indicates that all the devices of the corresponding type that arein the usable state have already been executing the correspondingapplication.

FIG. 19F shows a display screen (10401) in the portable informationterminal 700. Upon making a request for a terminal cooperation from theportable information terminal, with a list table indicating which typesof broadcast cooperation applications can be utilized in which type ofbroadcast receivers 100, utilization can be carried out moreconveniently. FIG. 19F shows an example of such a list table (10402).This table shows that a broadcast cooperation application correspondingto a program that is desirably checked can be utilized in which type ofthe broadcast receivers 100 present in the user's residence. Moreover,when the list also shows the state of each of the broadcast receivers100, it becomes possible to achieve higher convenience, in particular,when the application is utilized outside the residence. In this example,display examples including states such as the corresponding program isbeing received, another program is being received, empty state, andreservation for another program is present (a case in which recording ofanother program is reserved in the middle of the program), are shown.Here, note that, in a case in which a plurality of tuners are present inthe broadcast receiver 100, the state of each of the plural tuners isdisplayed, thereby achieving much more different convenience. In a table10202, branch numbers are given to discriminate the tuners in the samedevice. For example, a receiver B-1 and a receiver B-2 are the tuners inthe same broadcast receiver 100. In the case of the terminalcooperation, when deliveries of broadcast video images and audio arereceived as streaming data, it is not necessary to use the video imageunit of the broadcast receiver 100, and since the utilization of thebroadcast is possible by using the tuner inside the broadcast receiver100, it becomes more convenient when the usage status of each of thetuners is recognized.

Note that, in order to execute the display described in this embodiment,information on whether the application in question corresponds to thebroadcast receiver 100 or information on whether the application inquestion corresponds to which type of the portable information terminal700 is required for each of the broadcast cooperation applications.Moreover, pieces of information for executing the correspondingapplication on the broadcast receiver 100 and the portable informationterminal 700 are required. By describing these pieces of information,for example, in the AIT, the broadcast receiver 100 can acquire theinformation.

In accordance with the portable information terminal cooperationtechnique related to the present embodiment described above, bydisplaying information relating to the broadcast cooperationapplication, the broadcast receiver 100, and the portable informationterminal 700, a broadcast cooperation service having higher usabilitycan be utilized.

As described above, the modes for carrying out the present inventionhave been described with reference to the first to fifth embodiments;however, it is needless to say that, not limited to the above-mentionedembodiments, various modified examples are possible for theconfiguration which realizes the technique of the present invention. Forexample, one portion of the configuration of an embodiment may bereplaced by a configuration of another embodiment, or a configuration ofanother embodiment may also be added to a configuration of anembodiment. All these modifications belong to the scope of the presentinvention. Moreover, numerical values, messages, or the like used in thespecification and drawings is merely an example, and even when differentone is used, the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

With respect to the above-mentioned functions and the like of thepresent invention, one portion or the entire portions thereof may beachieved by hardware by designing integrated circuits, for example.Moreover, one portion or the entire portions thereof may be achieved bysoftware by interpreting and executing operation programs that allow themicroprocessor units and the like to achieve respective functions andthe like. One portion or the entire portions thereof may be achieved byusing hardware and software in combination.

Note that the above-mentioned software for controlling the broadcastreceiver 100 may be preliminarily prepared in stored states in the ROM103 and/or the storage unit 110, etc. of the broadcast receiver 100 atthe time of the shipment of the product. The software may be acquiredfrom other application servers 500 or the like on the Internet 200 afterthe shipment of the product via the LAN communication unit 121.Moreover, the software stored in a memory card, an optical disc, or thelike may be acquired via the extension interface unit 124 or the like.In the same manner, the software for controlling the portableinformation terminal 700 may be preliminarily prepared in stored statesin the ROM 703 and/or the storage unit 710, etc. of the portableinformation terminal 700 at the time of the shipment of the product. Thesoftware may be acquired from other application servers 500 or the likeon the Internet 200 after the shipment of the product via the LANcommunication unit 721, the mobile telephone network communication unit722, or the like. Furthermore, the software stored in a memory card, anoptical disc, or the like may be acquired via the extension interfaceunit 724 or the like.

Moreover, with respect to control lines and information lines shown inthe drawings, only those considered to be necessary for explanation areindicated, and all of those control lines and information lines on theproduct are not necessarily indicated. Actually, almost allconfigurations may be considered to be mutually connected with oneanother.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

-   -   100: broadcast receiver, 100 a: antenna, 101: main control unit,        102: system bus, 103: ROM, 104: RAM, 110: storage unit, 121: LAN        communication unit, 124: extension interface unit, 125: digital        interface unit, 131: tuner/demodulation unit, 132: first        separation unit, 133: first video image decoding unit, 134:        first audio decoding unit, 135: first subtitle decoding unit,        141: data broadcast receiving and processing unit, 142: data        broadcast engine, 151: streaming receiving and processing unit,        152: second separation unit, 153: second video image decoding        unit, 154: second audio decoding unit, 155: second subtitle        decoding unit, 161: application control unit, 162: application        engine, 171: video image superimposing unit, 172: audio        selection unit, 173: video image display unit, 174: speaker,        175: video image output unit, 176: audio output unit, 181:        presentation synchronization control unit, 191: terminal        cooperation control unit, 200: Internet, 210: router device, 300        t: wireless wave tower, 300: broadcast station server, 301: main        control unit, 302: system bus, 304: RAM, 310: storage unit, 321:        LAN communication unit, 400: service provider server, 401: main        control unit, 402: system bus, 404: RAM, 410: storage unit, 421:        LAN communication unit, 500: other application servers, 600:        mobile telephone communication server, 600 b: base station, 700:        portable information terminal, 701: main control unit, 702:        system bus, 703: ROM, 704: RAM, 710: storage unit, 720:        communication processing unit, 721: LAN communication unit, 722:        mobile telephone network communication unit, 723: NFC        communication unit, 724: extension interface unit, 730:        operation unit, 740: image processing unit, 741: display unit,        742: image signal processing unit, 743: first image input unit,        744: second image input unit, 750: audio processing unit, 751:        audio output unit, 752: audio signal processing unit, 753: audio        input unit, 760: sensor unit, 761: GPS receiving unit, 762: gyro        sensor, 763: geomagnetic sensor, 764: acceleration sensor, 765:        illuminance sensor, 766: proximity sensor.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A broadcast receiver for receiving adigital broadcast service that enables an application to be executed incooperation with a broadcast program, the broadcast receiver comprising:a tuner configured to receive a broadcast wave of the digital broadcastservice which includes at least a video image related to the broadcastprogram, electronic program guide information, and application-relatedinformation; processing circuitry configured to: separate at least thevideo image related to the broadcast program, the electronic programguide information, and the application-related information from thereceived broadcast wave received by the tuner; reproduce the video imagerelated to the broadcast program; generate an electronic program guideindication based on the electronic program guide information; acquire apredetermined application based on location information acquired byreferring to the application-related information; and execute theacquired predetermined application and output an application executionvideo image; and a display configured to display the video image relatedto the broadcast program, the electronic program guide indication, orthe application execution video image, wherein: the digital broadcastservice which is received by the broadcast receiver sets whether or notan application to be executed in cooperation with the broadcast programis provided with the broadcast program and whether or not a cooperativeoperation is further possible between the application and a portableinformation terminal, for each of the broadcast programs, the processingcircuitry generates the electronic program guide indication, whichindicates a title of the broadcast program together with a first markindicating that the application is provided with broadcast programs,each of which is set as providing the application, by the digitalbroadcast service, the processing circuitry generates the electronicprogram guide indication, which indicates a title of the broadcastprogram together with the first mark and/or a second mark indicatingthat the cooperative operation is possible between the application andthe portable information terminal, for broadcast programs each of whichis set as being further possible for the cooperative operation betweenthe application and the portable information terminal, the displaydisplays the electronic program guide indication, theapplication-related information contains an application profileinformation that indicates a function requested to execute theapplication, the processing circuitry refers to the application profileinformation, and determines whether the broadcast receiver has afunction regarding the cooperative operation requested for executing theapplication or not, the processing circuitry generates at least one ofthe first mark or the second mark for the broadcast program with whichthe application is provided in a case where it is determined that thebroadcast receiver has the function requested for executing theapplication, and the processing circuitry does not generate the firstmark and the second mark, even though the broadcast program is providedwith the application, in a case where it is determined that thebroadcast receiver does not have the function requested for executingthe application.
 2. The broadcast receiver according to claim 1,wherein, in a case where the broadcast program is a broadcast programcapable of performing a cooperative operation between the applicationand the portable information terminal, the processing circuitrygenerates the electronic program guide indication, which indicates thetitle of the broadcast program, the first mark, and the second mark,together with a two-dimensional bar code that can be read by theportable information terminal and includes URL information of anacquisition source of the application provided to the portableinformation terminal.